


Falling Short

by themetgayla



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Angst, Brief Emma/Zelena, Brief Mention of Suicide, Brief mention of self-harm, Cora & Mary Margaret are best friends, Daniel is in a flashback, F/F, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Homophobic Slurs, Jealousy, Kathryn & Tink are dating bc why not, Lots of Angst, Nice Cora, Pining, Regina is in denial, Robin Bashing, Robin is a dick, Robin is barely in it, Scheming, Slow Burn, brief mention of child abuse, everyone hates Robin btw, everyone knows Regina’s gay, get-them-together plan, he's a dick too sorry, if you like Robin then definitely don’t read, in one scene, jealous!Regina, kind of, mild violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-04
Updated: 2017-09-06
Packaged: 2018-12-14 10:21:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 53,159
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11781141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/themetgayla/pseuds/themetgayla
Summary: Gravity is natural and holds us all to the ground, from this it can be said that falling is as natural as breathing. For Emma Swan, falling has always come easy (be it from countless foster families or being the new kid in school) and every time she manages to get back up, but will this be the fall she doesn't come back from? Regina Mills has also done her fair share of falling, but where Emma is fearless, Regina is reserved to a fault. What will happen when they fall together and then apart?





	1. The Arriving

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Falling Short - Manips [Fanart]](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11854098) by [Dragoon23](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dragoon23/pseuds/Dragoon23). 



> First of all, I'd like to thank the lovely people who run the SwanQueen Supernova, because without them, this wouldn't have been possible at all. This is my first time participating in this and it's such a great privilege to be able to be part of it. So thank you for providing me with this opportunity. It's been a lot of work but I've enjoyed it immensely!
> 
> Secondly, I must thank my amazing beta Riya. This would never have been possible without her, so thank you. I owe her so much; she's spent so much time editing this to make it perfect for y'all! I'd also like to thank her for all the advice and help she's given me. Also credit to her for the wonderful summary of this fic :)
> 
> I'd also like to thank Emma, my cheerleader. She's provided me with support when necessary, and I've made a good friend in her. So a big thanks to her for all the support she's given me.
> 
> I must also give a big thanks to my artist Krystal, who's created some beautiful pieces of art for this fic. They’re gorgeous; thank you so much! You can view them via the link at the top.
> 
> A quick thanks to Mari, who read a little bit of this is and gushed its greatness to me; whether it was true or not, it helped me keep going when I doubted myself, so thank you.
> 
> Lastly, I'd like to thank Alex. She's put up with my occasional complaining over this, and although she doesn't have a part in this, she's amazing so yeah, thanks for putting up with me. If it hadn't been for SwanQueen, we'd never have met and I'd be totally lost without her. Love you xox
> 
> Now the thank yous are over and done with, I hope you enjoy my entry for the Supernova! It's 43,000 ish words over the minimum word count... but I had so many ideas I just ended up writing a longish multi-chapter! It's pretty close to my heart, since I've been working on it for months, so please be kind.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Once Upon a Time. If there are any mistakes left, I apologise. 
> 
> Kudos and reviews are much appreciated! Enjoy :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!
> 
> TW: brief mention of child abuse & self-harm.

Emma gazed wistfully out of the window, watching with dissatisfied interest as the trees blurred past in a flash. She shifted uncomfortably in the worn leather seat, ignoring the lumps pressing into the underneaths of her thighs.

The sky outside was a brilliant, bright blue, and the leaves were a mixture of vibrant greens, with splashes of blood red and sunny yellow. Autumn was creeping up on Maine, and it was beautiful.

Leaves fluttered carelessly down onto the road, coating the tarmac in a crispy, multi-coloured blanket. The wheels of the beat-up Nissan crunched over them, sending the fallen leaves flying in all directions in a flurry of colour as the car whipped past.

Cotton wool-like puffs dotted the otherwise clear sky, merging and shifting into all kinds of wonderful shapes. Long diaphanous tendrils of white stretched across the horizon, like waves in an ocean.

It really was a gorgeous sight. The bright sun twinkled down on the landscape, coaxing life out of dark places. The air was fresh and clean, and smelt of happiness and sunshine.

The day was seemingly perfect, all apart from just one little detail; Emma was not happy. Everyone else appeared to be jovial, yet the blonde simply couldn't convince herself to be the same. She was being driven to yet another - no doubt shitty - foster home.

The last one, the Martin's, had kicked her out for being homosexual, which had left her thoroughly disheartened. That particular event had resulted in the situation she was currently in, a circumstance that was decidedly less than ideal.

Sandra, the uptight fifty-year-old woman driving the car next to her, had sworn that this was going to be the perfect home. "Your forever home", she had said. Emma had learnt never to believe the words that spewed freely from that woman's mouth. Time and time again she had made promises she could not keep, promises that seemed juvenile, but to Emma, meant more than that.

They were small promises that had gotten her hopes up, promises she had hoped would come true. Yet again and again, she had been let down. So now, she simply let the words float straight over head, ignoring most of the middle-aged woman's mindless - and often tasteless - chatter.

The sixteen-year-old knew nothing about the new home she was going to, only that they were a couple in their mid-thirties who were unable to bear children of their own. That was it.

Obviously, Sandra knew more, but was - of _course_ \- unwilling to pass on more information. This stubbornness had ended in a half-hearted shouting match, which had come to a sharp end when Sandra had abruptly started blasting seventies music through the car's speaker system.

Emma had, by now, learnt to shut out all kinds of noise, so that's what she did. And that was how she came to be staring out of the car window as they approached the town she was to spend the next days, weeks, months or years of her life in. The amount of time at a home varied so much that the blonde had learnt to just go with the flow, and had stopped caring about it.

The dirty cyan car slowed considerably as they reached a sign which signalled their entry to the town. It was large,white, and oddly clean, with fancy cursive styled writing in an elegant shade of navy. It read "Welcome to Storybrooke".

 _Storybrooke? Really?_ Emma rolled her eyes at the name; it sounded like something hand picked from a fairytale. And she knew first hand that life was anything but a Disney movie; life was more of a Grimm's fairytale - and even that was an understatement.

"We're nearly there," came Sandra's voice, hoarse from smoking, from beside the blonde. The noise startled the teenager out of her train of thought, and she jumped a little in her seat.

"Oh okay," she replied absently, capturing her bottom lip between her teeth and nibbling on it gently. She laced her fingers together, and began mindlessly twiddling her thumbs out of habit. It was a nervous tick, and one she hadn't quite managed to rid herself of. The gentle brushing of small limbs relatively calmed her.

Letting her head fall against the headrest of the seat, Emma sighed heavily. No matter how many times she had moved, no matter how many homes she had been to, she still found the change to be strenuous and difficult . It was a weakness of hers that she never planned on revealing. Not to anyone. The situations she often found herself in did not allow her the freedom of displaying her weaknesses to the world. First of all because she simply couldn't imagine finding someone she trusted so much to spill all her secrets to. And second, because it was something that could ultimately be used against her.

Determined not to spiral into a momentary bout of depression, Emma desperately forced the plaguing thoughts from her mind, and focused her attention back on the beautiful scenery out of her window.

She gently rested her head against the cool glass, relishing in the contrast against her unsurprisingly hot forehead. Moving around was just something she had to get used to, since she suspected she'd be doing a hell of a lot more of it during her next two years as a teenager in foster care.

After five or so more minutes of driving, they entered what appeared to be the centre of Storybrooke. It was quaint, like something painted in a storybook; small shops and boutiques lined the roads, with delicate, hand-painted signs hanging proudly outside. Fairy lights were strung from lamppost to lamppost, and bright cars lined the sides of the roads, all expertly parallel parked.

"God, this place is bloody perfect," Sandra grumbled, and Emma let out a soft snort. Despite the overly perfect appearance to the town, it looked boring. Normally, the blonde wasn't one for anything dull or calm - she was so used to constantly being alert - but perhaps, she wondered, being somewhere calmer would be good for her.

"I see what you mean," Emma agreed, bobbing her head slightly. They crawled down the streets, drinking in the picturesque town, with mild distaste apparent on their respective faces. Sandra indicated, and turned down Mifflin Street, a road with large, mansion-like houses placed neatly along it.

The blue Nissan came to a shuddering halt outside house number 109; a stunning whitewashed mansion, with an idyllic white picket fence - the kind you _only_ see in movies - and the most gorgeous disposition  of flowers.

The front garden was alive, (and not just alive; it looked like it was _glad_ to be alive) extravasating with colour, plants spilling out from the well-kept flowerbeds, bursting everywhere. It truly was stunning, and Emma felt a warm feeling - a feeling that hadn't been present for a long, long time - settle in her stomach.

She knew exactly what it was; hope. Hope that perhaps this town _was_ going to be her forever home. Who knew? Maybe it would be? But maybe it wouldn't. She hated hope. Hope was misleading. Frustrating. Invasive. Irritating. But hope was also happiness. Joy. That little feeling niggling away in the back of her mind. The feeling that stopped her from giving up. Stopped her from—

"Right, I have to head off, so out you go." Sandra removed one slightly wrinkled, worn hand from the steering wheel, and flicked it out in the shooing motion that Emma was so used to.

The teenager beside her rolled her eyes at the dismissive tone, and complete lack of interest, but complied anyway. She pulled the door handle towards her, then pushed it open, the unoiled hinges squeaking and protesting at the force at which they were being asked to move with.

"Bye then," Emma said quietly, reaching behind her into the back to pick up her small bag of luggage.

"Bye. Have a nice time. See you soon."

It was words like those, spoken oh so flippantly, that had the blonde doubting everything that Sandra had ever said, no matter how genuinely pleased she had sounded when she had hinted that Storybrooke could be her forever home.

And now, she had made the careless mistake of mentioning to Emma that she might see her soon. Naturally, that was what the greying woman would expect; she was the one who had to drive the teen to her new home every time. It was bound to get annoying.

And so, Emma kept her mouth sealed tightly as she pulled the bag out with a rough tug, and shut the door. As soon as she had done so, with a slightly nerve-wracking speed, the woman was gone, without so much as wave or a backwards glance. _That's Sandra's way of dealing with things,_ the blonde mused ruefully. Emma wondered if Sandra actually cared for her. She figured that she must, if the sorrowful glances she would occasionally give counted for anything.

Sighing, the teenager ran a hand through her ratty blonde hair, forcefully combing out the knots. She pushed the strap of her rucksack further onto her shoulder, and took a deep, hopefully calming, breath.

And then, ignoring the slight trembling of her legs, she stepped through the wrought iron front gate.

Making her way slowly up the tidy paved path, she inhaled deeply, drawing the fresh air into her body. She took a few more long, slow breaths, in an attempt to calm herself. The blonde was nervous, and she _hated_ it. She rarely got nervous, knowing that it was unlikely she would be staying at a home long, but when she did, _god_ , she always ended up feeling sick. Butterflies swarmed in her stomach, fluttering so violently she swayed a little on her feet.

 _Get a grip, Swan,_ she told herself sternly, shaking her head in order to clear the intrusive thoughts. Her loose blonde curls shook prettily as she did so, cascading, down her back till they reached the top of her bottom. She reserved a special kind of fondness in her heart for her long hair, which may seem laughable, but it was one of the things about herself that she didn't loathe. Her bright hair had been short until the age of ten, but after growing tired of it, she'd made the decision to grow it out, and had been doing so ever since. It was a decision that many foster parents were glad of; it meant less money spent on 'unnecessary things'.

Many complimented her on her golden locks, claiming they were fit for a celestial angel or pulchritudinous princess. The words would always - without fail - make her eyes light up in thanks, but then she would remember that she was anything but a beautiful princess. She was a lonely, discarded orphan girl, too much trouble to be cared about. However, with sixteen years behind her, she'd learnt not to care. She was perfectly comfortable alone, without friends. She rather enjoyed her own company, in fact.

Emma also earned a fair bit of pain from having such long hair. It was agonisingly easy to pull, resulting in many a foster father grabbing her by her hair and yanking her backwards. Even so, she refused to cut it. She wouldn't give them that satisfaction, no matter how much pain it caused her.

The sweet scent of flowers wafted up her nose as she raised a hand to knock at the grand white door. She drew her bottom lip into her mouth urgently, a sudden wave of nerves overcoming her, shooting down through her body. Setting her lips in a firm, straight line, she brought her hand down boldly against the door.

Seconds later, she let it drop limply to her side as she waited. Tapping one sneaker-clad foot anxiously against the ground, she let her gaze flick around the porch. Overflowing flower baskets hung at the entrance to the small space - managing, rather well, in fact - to brighten the place up. The contrast of colours soothed Emma in a strange way, though she paid no mind to it; admitting she liked flowers was not a good road to go down.

Before she could examine the porch any longer, the door was pulled open with surprising force, revealing a petite woman with short, pixie-cut brown hair. She was pretty, and carried herself with a dainty air of grace. A flowing, floral, knee-length skirt erupted from her slim waist, complete with a pastel pink, frilly top and a soft cotton cardigan. She looked young, with a soft but sharply angled jaw, gently sculpted eyebrows and calm blue-grey eyes. She was rather beautiful, if Emma was honest.

As soon as the woman saw who was standing on her porch, her face split into a wide smile, her eyes lighting up like a candle. Her pearly white teeth became visible through her pink-painted lips as she beamed.

"Are you Emma Swan?" She asked excitedly, her voice eager. Despite the obvious excitement in her tone, her voice was soft and soothing, like that of a mother.

"Yes," Emma said simply, letting a small smile grace her lips. As soon as the word had left her mouth, the woman jumped forwards and embraced the blonde into a tight hug.

Emma was taken by surprise, unused to such displays of affection. Not knowing what to do, she tentatively brought her arms up to wrap around the woman's tiny waist. She let them rest on the small of the brunette's back, and she focused on being able to breathe as she was squeezed tightly.

After another moment, she gently pushed away, taking a deep gasping breath of air. The woman's face immediately contorted into a frown, her eyes darkening with concern. "Oh my goodness, are you okay?! Did I hurt you?" She asked frantically, her eyes darting over Emma's body.

The teenager could have laughed at her dramatic concern, though she was so unused to it that she was rendered momentarily speechless. Though, seeing the worried look upon the young woman's face, she opened her mouth to speak. "No no, I'm fine. Your hug was just a little tight, that's all," she explained, trying to smile reassuringly.

"Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry!" The woman's dainty hands flew to her face in shock, drawing a out little chuckle from Emma's mouth.

"It's fine," she reassured, a genuine smile on her face.

"If you're sure," the brunette began, her tone still laced with concern. At Emma's slight narrowing of the eyes, she stopped herself. "Well, it's lovely to meet you, Emma. My name is Mary Margaret, and my husband is David. He is currently out at work; he's the Sheriff of Storybrooke. He will be home at dinner time, if that's okay?" Emma nodded, drinking in all the information with a slightly eager expression on her face. "I'm a school teacher, and I teach at Storybrooke Middle School," she explained, her eyes wide and bright, as though had no cares in the world. _She probably doesn't,_ Emma thought, an amused smile playing at her lips.

"Nice to meet you Mrs Nolan. You and your husband sound like nice people," the blonde commented, and Mary Margaret's face lit up.

"Thank you. But you just call me Mary Margaret; Mrs Nolan makes me feel so old," she said, a light blush dusting her pale cheeks. "Would you like a tour? Oh, and I can show you to your room first if you like? So you can unpack your things?"

Mary Margaret, without waiting for an answer, turned on her heel and hurried towards the grand staircase, her small bare feet padding up the thickly-carpeted steps. Emma spun on her heel and followed behind silently, in awe of the mansion.

Despite being large, it was decorated with the homeliness of a small, cosy cottage. Everything - curtains, comforters, cushions - was floral. Surprisingly though, the patterns were rather stylish, and anything but garish.

The hallway was long, with doors lining the walls on both sides. Mary Margaret led her down the hall, all the way to a door at the end. "Here's your room," she said, pushing open the door, revealing the place Emma would be staying for who-knows-how-long.

The pair entered, and the teenager gasped; it was beautiful. The room was unlike anything she'd ever seen before. Three walls were a soft cream colour, with one that was the same but painted with fresh pastel peach flowers upon it. There was a large double bed against the feature wall, complete with a cream comforter and pillows, and peach floral decorative blankets and cushions.

The furniture was all grand and cream, which Emma had to admit that she found rather stylish. She had been rather tomboy-like all her life, and preferred things like leather and video games to flowers and light colours. However, the room was tasteful in a way she didn't know she enjoyed, and she immediately loved it.

"Wow, it's beautiful," she whispered softly, still gazing around the room in awe. Mary Margaret just smiled slightly, taking in Emma's expression of happiness. A warm feeling settled in her stomach; she hoped she could be the mother Emma had never had.

The pixie-haired brunette didn't know much about Emma's past, only that she had previously had some rather horrible homes. The woman who had dropped her off, Sandra, hadn't told her much: something about "withholding personal information" which Mary Margaret had nodded sweetly to. She couldn't wait to find out more about the blonde teenager standing before her, admiring the room.

"I'm glad you like it," she replied, beaming. "Would you like a tour of the house now? Then you can unpack, and we can eat dinner," she suggested.

"Sure," Emma agreed easily.

* * *

 An hour later, Emma had finished unpacking what minimal belongings she owned. Her nightstand was empty, save for a small alarm clock she had had since she was nine. Her wardrobe was virtually empty; it contained the two jackets she owned, three ratty pairs of jeans and four t-shirts that were a rather tight fit. Her outfit variety was absolutely awful, but it was all she had- no one had bothered to buy her anything new before.

She had just plopped herself down on the memory foam mattress, allowing her shoulders to relax properly for the first time, when there was a soft knock at the door. "Come in," she called, and Mary Margaret poked her head round the door.

"Hello, are you okay Emma?" She asked, taking in the weary expression that was upon the blonde's face. The teenager looked utterly and thoroughly tired, right down to the core.

"Yes, fine thank you," Emma said, forcing a smile. She loved it here so far, but all she really wanted to do was sleep. It had been rather overwhelming, being so warmly welcomed into such a lovely place. And now she was exhausted.

"You look exhausted," the woman pointed out, one eyebrow slightly raised. She stepped inside the room slowly, and leant on the edge of the door, her body elegantly poised.

"I am; it's been a long day," Emma replied, stifling a yawn that threatened to rip through her.

"Are you sure you're okay to come and have dinner with us?" Mary Margaret asked again, only wanting to make the blonde as comfortable as absolutely possible.

"Yes, I'm sure," the teenager assured, knowing it would be rude to decline the kind offer. She couldn't remember the last time she had eaten with foster parents; she was always left to scramble wildly for the leftover scraps once they'd finished.

"Okay," the brunette accepted. "I also bought you some clothes, if that's okay?" She asked gingerly, her demeanour turning a little bashful. She glanced down at her hands and rubbed them together anxiously.

"R-Really?" Emma's jaw fell to the floor, and she couldn't help but stutter. No one had ever done anything like this for her before, and even if the clothes weren't her style, they would be appreciated beyond belief.

"Yes, of course! Your social worker told me you didn't have many, so I went out and got some," Mary Margaret explained, her expression bright and hopeful. It was clear that she was eager to please, and Emma realised that she found it rather endearing. "Would you like to see them?"

"Yes please," the blonde said graciously. She couldn't help but wonder exactly what the clothes would be like; if the brunette's style was anything to go by, they wouldn't be her style at all. However, Emma was sure there would be at least one thing she would be able to wear whilst feeling like her usual self.

"I'll be right back." Mary Margaret spun on her heel and hurried from the spacious room, her head bent down in what looked to be concentration or thought. Emma let her lips curl into a small smile as she fell back against the soft comforter, relishing in the way she sank into the mattress.

* * *

Around ten minutes later, Mary Margaret returned, bags clutched tightly in both hands. Emma abruptly sat up from her relaxed position on the bed, doing her best to appear as though she definitely hadn't been dozing off. She didn't mean to be rude, but she couldn't help it. The mattress was something akin to heaven, and she was drained from the day of travelling; all she wanted to do was sleep.

"I have the clothes!" The brunette's voice was chirpy, and entirely too enthusiastic for the time of day it was.

However, the young woman continued to smile, walking into the room and setting the bags down on the armchair in the corner. She looked a little flustered, her cheeks rosy.

"Are you okay?" Emma asked, raising one eyebrow in question.

"Yes, yes. I just managed to drop a glass, so that wasn't exactly helpful," she said with a small grimace.

"Is everything okay now?"

"Oh yes, it's all sorted out," Mary Margaret assured with a gracious smile. Emma found herself smiling too, automatically calmed in the presence of this woman. At her neutral expression, the brunette opened her mouth to speak again. "So, would you like me to leave you to check out the clothes? If you don't like any of them, I can just take them back!"

"Thank you, Mrs—" Emma began kindly, but at the slight cock of the eyebrow the short woman gave her, she hastily corrected herself. "I mean, Mary Margaret."

"Not a problem." The woman waved off the thanks, beaming happily. "Come and find me when you're done!" She then turned on her heel, and trotted from the room, pulling the door closed behind her.

Casting a glance at where the bags sat on the armchair, Emma made her way over. Feeling mild anticipation stir in her gut, she slowly moved the plastic bags over to the bed. Then, taking a deep breath, she pulled open the first one, peering inside.

For anyone else, such a thing as new clothes would probably be a normal thing; something that happened every few months or so (or even less). But for Emma, this was a big deal. Never before had anyone bought her anything new like this, and it was overwhelming. Even if the clothes turned out to be hideous, it was the thought that counted.

Gingerly, she extracted the clothes from the first bag, and laid them out on the bed, not daring to look at them. Once she thought they were spread out enough, she brought her gaze to the items of clothing.

To her utter surprise, they were actually clothes she would wear! Laid out on the bed were a few nice hoodies and some tank tops in plain, neutral colours. Emma took the material of a black tank top between her fingers, and relished in the softness of the cotton.

Now eager to see what the other bags held, the blonde emptied the contents of bag number two out on top of the clothes. Inside were five pairs of quality skinny jeans in various colours - black, dark wash and light wash.

The teenager felt excitement bubble inside her chest as a sudden wave of euphoria washed over her. It was a feeling she'd never felt before, and it made her jerk a little in surprise.

Hastily, she unbuttoned the ratty, too-small pair of jeans she was wearing, a pair she remembered as hand-me-downs from a couple of years ago. They barely fit her anymore, but the faded jeans were one of the only pairs she had.

She chucked them carelessly onto the bed, not batting an eyelid when they landed in the far corner of the room. The blonde then snatched up the pair of soft denim jeans closest to her, and began to tug them on.

Shimmying herself into them, she did up the zip and button, then stepped into the closet to admire herself. The tight jeans made her ass look good, and they fit perfectly. It seemed that Mary Margaret knew exactly what kind of things she would wear; maybe she'd asked Sandra? Emma pushed the thought away - it wasn't something she needed to worry about.

The teenager began to lift her top over her head, dropping it onto the floor beside her. As she turned back to grab one of the tank tops on her bed, she turned her gaze to the wide floor-length mirror to stare at her reflection.

Her bra fitted poorly; her breasts were almost spilling over the cups, and the strap was tight, too tight. It was something she'd gotten used to, and no longer felt, but whenever she removed her bra there was be deep red dent, stretching in a full circle just under her breasts.

Her stomach was flat and toned from the extensive running she did to distract herself and get herself away from all the homes she'd been in. However, the pale skin was marred with ugly bruises, most fading, but some still prominent. Various cuts and scars littered the mottled skin as well; self-harm from over the years. But she been clean for months, which was a relief.

Flicking her gaze away from herself, Emma abruptly spun on her heel and re-entered her bedroom. She grabbed a grey tank top and lifted it on, over her head. It was a snug fit, the neckline sweeping down just enough to show a hint of cleavage, but it was still very modest.

Emma only then realised she was still wearing her dirty, worn converse shoes, so she unlaced them and kicked them off. She sighed with relief when she saw she hadn't left any kind of muddy footprints on the cream carpet. As soon as the bare soles of her feet hit the fluffy carpet, her lips spread up into a smile. It was so so soft, and felt absolutely amazing beneath her feet.

The teenager padded over to where the two remaining bags rested on the bed, the smile not leaving her face. She peeked into the largest bag, her eyebrows shooting up when she realised it was full of shoes.

Eagerly, she emptied the contents onto the bed and grinned as she saw new pairs of trainers and boots. Just as she reached for an expensive-looking pair of Nike running shoes, she heard a knock at the door.

"Emma?" Mary Margaret called from the other side, pushing open the door a fraction.

"Yes?"

"Are the clothes okay?" She asked, stepping into the room. The brunette's face lit up when she saw the sight of Emma in her new jeans and top.

"They're amazing! Thank you so much," the blonde said sincerely, her smile slipping just a little, in show of how much she meant the thanks.

The petite woman before her beamed, clapping her hands together in excitement. "My pleasure! You look great!" She complimented, causing a faint pink blush to dust Emma's cheeks. The girl ducked her head a little, suddenly feeling bashful. "Dinner is ready, and David is home," Mary Margaret added, retreating backwards towards the door.

"I'm coming now," Emma affirmed, nodding her head once. She followed her new foster mother from the room, wiggling her toes against the dark wood flooring.

A warming scent reached her nose, and she let a soft smile spread across her face, wondering what was for dinner. Her stomach rumbled, and she realised just how hungry she was; she couldn't really remember when she'd last eaten. Yesterday, maybe?

* * *

As soon as Emma lifted a fork of chicken to her mouth, she let out a small moan. Red flooded to her cheeks at the sound, but Mary Margaret just smiled appreciatively.

The woman sat opposite her, and David sat at the head of the table. The man was around the same age as his wife, maybe a little older, with short mousy hair and kind, handsome eyes. His smile was calm and soothing, like that of a father. Emma felt a momentary pang in her chest; Mary Margaret couldn't carry a child, and that saddened her. No one should be deprived of a child if they desired one. Despite this, she was immensely grateful to them for taking her in.

"So Emma, are you looking forward to school?" He asked, his expression one of genuine interest. It was something Emma wasn't used to, but she welcomed it, appreciating the attention.

"Yes, actually," she surprised herself by saying. She was an intelligent girl, who cared about school and always got the top grades. It wasn't always easy, due to the constant moving of schools, but she did the best she could, and excelled wherever she was.

Sandra had told her little about Storybrooke High - as per usual, she'd been strangely secretive - but from what she'd heard, it was a good school. She was looking forward to starting there, but she was a little apprehensive about making friends. Emma was a confident person, but she liked to keep to herself. She never had many friends, for some reason, but she was never alone. Her quirky and usually bright personality had attracted many at previous schools, although her tough background often scared people off. So it was because of this, that she felt a stirring of nerves low in her stomach.

The blonde also knew that people tended to want to be friends with the new girl, which wasn't always a good thing. Too many times she'd been made a fool by backstabbing new 'friends'. This time, she was going to be more aware of things like that, she was sure of it.

"I think you'll really like Storybrooke," Mary Margaret commented, daintily cutting up her roast chicken.

"Me too," Emma confessed, taking a sip of water, humming contentedly as the cool liquid slid down her throat.

"So Emma where did you come here from?" David questioned, blinking slowly.

She froze, and the hand cutting up a potato stilled. Honestly, she knew the time when they'd ask about her previous families would come, but she hadn't really prepared herself for it. Gulping, she forced a tight smile onto her lips. "Boston," she replied simply.

"Did you like it there?" He pushed, seemingly interested and unaware of her inner struggle.

Emma shifted uncomfortably in her seat and gulped again. She thought back to what her last home had been like, then to the bruises on her stomach; it was safe to say that Boston hadn't been a good place. "Um, yeah, it was nice," she lied, faking another smile. Casting her eyes downwards, she stared at her lap as she began to rub her leg anxiously with her free hand.

Mary Margaret watched the teenager carefully, noticing the way her smile didn't quite reach her eyes, and the way her tone had wavered at the end of her sentence. _Perhaps Boston wasn't as nice as she claimed it to be?_

* * *

The rest of dinner was eaten in a comfortable sort of silence, only broken occasionally by David or Mary Margaret asking Emma questions.

The blonde had eaten up her roast chicken, potatoes and vegetables swiftly after the awkward conversation about Boston, and had opted for seconds as well. Thankfully, she was starting to feel a little more comfortable around the couple, and she had finally let her shoulders relax from their constantly tense position.

As she sat at the table, leaning back slightly in her seat, she stifled a yawn that threatened to overtake her. She tried to bring her hand to her mouth discreetly, but Mary Margaret caught her eye as she did so.

"Would you like to go to bed, Emma?" She asked, furrowing her brow slightly.

Emma faltered. Was it rude to say yes? Shouldn't she stay? "I..." she began. But she trailed off straight away, at a loss as to what she should say.

"It's okay, Emma, you can go to bed. I know how tired you are, and you have school tomorrow," the brunette said, reading the blonde's mind. The teenager stifled another yawn, and nodded her head, conceding.

"Okay, thank you." Emma rose from her chair, running a hand through her slightly tangled golden curls as she did so. "Do you need any help tidying away?" She asked, the years of being taught to be polite making her speak before she could process what she was saying.

"No no, you go to bed," the brunette assured, rising from her own chair, beginning to clear away the plates.

"We insist," David added with a smile, passing his plate to his wife. He then picked up the tray of chicken and the dish of potatoes, promptly leaving to go to the kitchen.

"Okay then," Emma said reluctantly, turning to leave the room. At the last minute, she walked back towards where Mary Margaret was about to pick up the plates and carry them to the kitchen.

The woman looked up as the blonde approached, and waited, unsure as to what Emma was going to do. The teenager leaned forwards and placed a light kiss on Mary Margaret's cheek. The skin was soft, and the brunette smelt of freshly washed linen and flowers.

"Thank you," Emma said simply, not waiting for a response before exiting the room.

She padded down the hall and up the stairs, her body suddenly overcome with tiredness. Her eyes threatened to close before she'd even reached her room, and she barely managed to drag herself through the door before she collapsed on her bed, her body sinking into the memory foam mattress.

Pale eyelids drooped, slipping shut only moments later. Emma fell fast asleep, still fully dressed atop her bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this first chapter!
> 
> Let me know what you thought in the comments :)


	2. The Meeting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!

It was around 7:00AM when Emma awoke the next morning, roused by the soft, pale glow of the sun, filtering in through the gap in the creamy curtains.

A blonde mess of hair poked out from under a blanket, and she scrabbled around awkwardly. She managed to prop herself up, and for a moment, she felt disorientated. Blinking slowly, she flicked her gaze around the room with bleary eyes, realising where she was. She allowed her head to sink back into the pillow at the realisation, relaxing a little more.

As the teenager shifted, she felt her movements were a little constricted. She looked down and noticed she was still wearing her jeans and tank top from the previous night; she'd obviously forgotten to change in her tiredness. However, she did have a blanket draped over her, proving that Mary Margaret had been in at some point.

When Emma remembered that she did actually have to get up at some point, she flung back the blanket. Rolling - literally - out of bed, the blonde rubbed her eyes. She dragged herself over to the mirror above the vanity, and drank in her messy appearance.

Her hair was dishevelled and plastered to her head, with odd pieces sticking up at strange angles. There were noticeable bruises below her eyes from the consistent lack of sleep over the last months and years. All in all, she looked like a mess. _Time to take a shower,_ Emma thought with one last grimace at herself in the mirror.

Feeling a little sore from sleeping in such tight jeans, the blonde moved into the en suite where a wide range of fluffy towels and fancy bath/shower products were neatly stacked on a shelf.

The bathroom fit right in with the rest of the house, decorated in a homely manner, sticking to the peach and cream aesthetic of the rest of the house. The bath and shower were the only modern things about the large room, though they blended in rather nicely so they didn't stick out like sore thumbs.

Emma began to peel off her clothes, dropping them onto the floor as she stripped herself down. She then grabbed a pristine white towel from the heated rack, along with some vanilla shower gel, and brought them closer to the shower.

Stepping into the cubicle and turning it on, she let the hot water cascade down over her head, relishing in the gentle but firm flow. For a few minutes, she just stood there, her body on fire from the heat, warmth encasing her. She had never had a shower like this one, and _god_ , she was pretty sure she could get used to it.

* * *

The teenager munched quietly on a bowl of cornflakes, perched at the breakfast bar in the large kitchen. Mary Margaret had offered her pancakes, waffles and even croissants, but the blonde had declined them all, opting to have a simple bowl of cereal.

She wasn't used to eating breakfast, and often wasn't hungry in the mornings before school; it was too early. The pixie-haired brunette had kindly made her a delicious-looking thick sandwich for her lunch, and she'd packed it with an apple and some homemade carrot cake too.

It was a sort of kindness Emma wasn't used to, and she was surprised by how much she enjoyed it. She'd grown up convincing herself that she didn't need love or affection, but she was quickly starting to rethink this.

Just as Emma slipped down from the stool, Mary Margaret glided into the kitchen, looking innocent and pure in a creamy white skirt and a pale pink blouse. "Emma, are you ready to leave?" She asked, moving round the kitchen to grab her own lunch.

"Yes, I am," the teen confirmed as she slipped her red leather jacket on and ran a hand through her long golden curls.

"Great! Is it okay if I drop you off? It's not going to be embarrassing for you, is it?" The woman asked a little anxiously, and Emma found it sweet that the brunette cared so much about her.

"It's fine, Mary Margaret. Thanks," Emma said graciously, as they both headed into the foyer towards the front door.

The pair stepped out into the warm Monday sunshine, and walked down the path towards Mary Margaret's shiny white Fiat. The red truck David drove was already gone from the driveway, for he'd left earlier that morning.

Emma slipped into the passenger seat and pushed her bag down by her feet. The brunette plugged her keys into the ignition and pulled from the drive, down the road and away towards the school.

"Are you nervous?" Mary Margaret glanced sideways at the blonde, taking in the slightly stiff posture of the girl.

"Um, a little, I guess? I mean, I'm used to moving schools, but it's sometimes a little hard," she explained, chewing softly on her bottom lip.

"You'll be just fine, Emma. I've lived here my whole life, and I know all the teachers at Storybrooke High; they're all amazing. Plus, I've only heard brilliant things about the students!" Mary Margaret failed to mention that their next door neighbour, Regina Mills, was notorious for being a bit of a bitch towards new pupils. The pixie-haired brunette didn't want to freak Emma out and worry her; perhaps nothing would happen.

"I hope so," Emma agreed, gazing out of the window at the shops lining the side of the road as they sped past.

The woman placed a hand on the blonde's knee and squeezed gently as a gesture of kindness. A faint blush rose to the teenager's cheeks, and she offered Mary Margaret a small, shy smile.

* * *

Ten minutes later, they pulled up outside Storybrooke High. "So Emma, this is where I leave you. You'll have to go to the Principal's office first to get your schedule, okay?" Mary Margaret pulled the keys from the ignition and unclipped her seatbelt, a permanent smile settled on her face.

"Yes, that's fine." Emma grabbed one strap of her bag as she opened the car door, slinging it over her shoulder as she set foot on the paving.

"Well, have a good day honey," the brunette chirped, walking round the car to envelop the girl in a tight hug. The blonde tentatively hugged back, still unused to so much attention and love.

After one final hug, prompted by Mary Margaret, the pair split ways, and Emma turned to walk up the wide pathway to her new school. She gazed up at it, impressed at the building.

It was large and modern, as though it had recently been refurbished. There were large glass windows, and the whole thing was an elegant sort of grey. It looked pretty nice, from what Emma could see.

Swallowing her nerves, she began to walk towards the main entrance, ignoring the odd stares she got from people wondering why she was there. She just fixed her eyes on the doors and made a beeline for them.

The teen pushed open the door to the school reception, relishing in the cool breeze of the AC as it hit her. For an autumn day it was surprisingly warm. The room was well furnished, with comfortable arm chairs and a glass coffee table placed in one corner, and various tall plants dotted around the room. Paintings by influential artists hung on the pale grey walls, a pop of colour in the minimally styled room. _Whoever did the interior design for this place sure has nice taste,_ Emma thought to herself, impressed.

Pushing her bag strap further onto her shoulder, she walked over to the desk, clearing her throat as she approached. "Uh, hi, I'm the new student, Emma Swan." The lady looked up at her through her square glasses, her lips pursing a little.

"Principal Mills would like to see you in her office. It's just left from here," the lady told her, voice emotionless and monotonous. The blonde fought the urge to roll her eyes at the unwelcome tone, but nodded instead, and left swiftly.

She found the office, and knocked on the door, waiting patiently outside. Butterflies swarmed in her stomach as she tapped her foot, wondering what the Principal would be like. Would she be kind? Strict? Laid back? Fun? Mean?

As the thoughts swirled around in Emma's messy brain, a sharp voice sounded from inside the room. "Come in," the woman called.

Gingerly, the teen pulled down on the handle, and then pushed the door open. She was faced with a large spacious office, decorated in the same minimalistic way the reception was. Emma found she liked the classy style, which was something that surprised her.

As she stepped further into the office she was greeted with the sight of a smartly dressed woman, scribbling away as she sat at her desk. Upon hearing footsteps, said woman looked up, her lips breaking into a large smile.

"You must be Emma Swan," she said, rising elegantly from her seat. The woman offered her hand for Emma to shake as she came to stand in front the desk. The blonde took it, and shook once, twice, before their hands fell apart.

"Yes, I am."

"In that case, welcome to Storybrooke High! My name is Cora Mills, and I'm the Principal here at the school. I hear you've been taken in by Mr and Mrs Nolan?"

As Cora spoke, Emma had time to examine her properly. Her shoulder length brown hair was light, and looked professionally styled. Although she looked to be in her late-forties, her skin was amazing, and her makeup done to absolute perfection. Dressed to the nines in a power suit, the Principal looked ready to take on the world.

"Yes, they've fostered me," Emma confirmed, nodding once. Cora gestured for her to take a seat, and the blonde did so.

"How lovely. Mary Margaret and David are such wonderful people. They're dear friends of mine; I've known them for ages now!" The Principal said, beaming.

"Oh, that's nice," the teenager said, surprise evident in her tone.

"Indeed it is." Cora paused to take a breath, and she pulled out a sheet of paper. She placed it on the desk and slid it out towards Emma, who picked it up. "That's your schedule. I've got a girl waiting outside, Ruby Lucas, to help you find your way around the place. I hope you enjoy your time here at Storybrooke High. I think you'll be very happy."

Emma stood from the comfortable chair and a small smile spread across her face. "Thank you, I hope so too." And, clutching the white sheet of paper to her chest, she left the Principal's office, ready to begin her first day at her new school.

* * *

A tall lanky girl, presumed to be this Ruby Lucas the Principal had spoken of, was waiting outside the office. She was leaning casually against the wall, one foot up against it.

Her attire was rather... revealing for a high school; she sported bright red shorts that elongated her legs wonderfully, and a tight white, rather low-cut, tank top. Her brown hair was long, with a single red streak on one side; she was beautiful in a sexy kind of way.

When she saw Emma emerge from the office, she turned to her, chewing noisily on some gum. "Hey, I'm Ruby! You must be Emma!" At Emma's slight nod, she launched herself forward into the blonde's arms. Her long limbs wrapped around Emma's slim waist, and she squeezed her tightly. The new student returned the hug, albeit a little awkwardly, but she certainly felt welcomed. "I hope we can be friends! There really aren't enough cool people round here," Ruby said with an eye roll.

"I hope so too," Emma said quietly, unable to tear her eyes away from the brunette's long, tanned legs.

"I take it you swing the other way too," the tall girl said with a small nudge and a cheeky wink. The blonde's cheeks flushed immediately, and she snapped her gaze back up to Ruby's face, ducking her head.

"I was just..." She tried, speechless.

"Hey, it's fine, your secret is safe with me," Ruby said reassuringly, smiling fondly at Emma. The shorter girl sighed in relief, releasing a long breath. "Girls are hot," the other girl added.

"Indeed they are," Emma replied, quirking an eyebrow. She never normally felt comfortable around people straight away, but she immediately felt her shoulders relax and her walls slip down a fraction.

"So what's your first lesson?" Ruby asked, peering over the blonde's shoulder to read the printed schedule.

"Math 203," Emma said, finding the lesson with her finger. "With Mr Gregory."

"Oh, he's nice. I had him last year," Ruby said, her tone kind. But then, her brow furrowed.

"What?"

"Regina Mills is in that class," she said slowly. 

"Mills? Is she the Principal's daughter? 

"Yeah, but she's not like her mom. Ms Mills is super nice, but Regina can be a real bitch. She's not super horrid, but she's on the cheerleading team, is dating the captain of the soccer team, and has a reputation for teasing new kids. She claims it's "testing them out", so she knows immediately where they stand in the social hierarchy," Ruby explained, her tone thoughtful.

"Oh, I'm sure I'll be fine. I don't take shit," Emma said. She'd been through too much to take stupid shit from a girl who thought she could bully people.

"Just watch out," Ruby warned, and the blonde just shrugged it off; she wasn't going to let any kind of self righteous girl throw shit at her. "I'm off to Biology now, so do you want to meet at lunchtime? I can meet you in the cafeteria?"

"Sure, I'll meet you there. Where's my Math classroom though?" Emma asked, just as Ruby turned to walk away.

"Oh, silly me, I forgot to say." Ruby smacked her forehead, and the both laughed. "It's just left of here, straight down the corridor then on the right."

"Thanks Ruby, I'll see you later!" And with that, Emma turned and headed in the direction of her Math classroom. 

* * *

The blonde kept her head down to avoid the strange looks she was sure she was getting (she could feel eyes on her). She walked quickly, her eyes trained on the floor.

But suddenly, she was stumbling backwards, her schedule flying out of her hand. Her back hit the floor, and she heard the small crunch of her hip as it thudded down. A sharp pain pulsated from the affected area, and she let out a groan.

Emma slowly pulled herself up into a sitting position, reaching a hand up to rub her forehead. Judging by the throbbing in her hip, it was going to bruise pretty badly.

Anger washed over her, and the blonde felt it run through her veins. Whoever had caused her to fall like that better watch out; she wasn't just going to let them get away with it. As she brought her swirling green eyes upwards, she came face to face with the most beautiful girl she'd ever seen.

Well, beautiful didn't even cut it. Her mocha brown eyes were angry and glinting dangerously, and a vein in her forehead throbbed in what seemed like a warning. Silky shoulder length brown hair sat perfectly, not a hair out of place. Emma flicked her gaze down to plump lips, painted a deep berry red. A scar on her upper lip caught the blonde's attention immediately, and she felt a sudden urge to run her tongue across it over and over again.

It was only when the girl snapped her fingers in front of Emma's face that she realised the brunette had been talking to her. "Did you even hear what I said?" The girl asked, her tone patronising.

"Ugh, what?" Emma snapped, pulling herself to her feet with a grumble.

"I asked you what the hell you thought you were doing! You made me trip, and my books went everywhere, you moron." The brunette was almost shaking with anger, and the blonde felt her own frustration begin to build. _She only tripped! I was the one who fell over like a complete ass!_

Yes, the girl was the most stunning thing she'd ever seen, but that didn't mean Emma wasn't angry with her. Who did she think she was, talking to her like that? She wasn't five; she'd experienced her fair share of adults treating her like a piece of dirt on their shoe.

"So it's my fault, is it?" The blonde challenged, stepping forwards, anger bubbling in her veins.

"Of course it's your fault,” the girl scoffed, waving her hand dismissively. A small crowd her gathered to watch the confrontation, and Emma couldn't help but roll her eyes at the situation. She hadn't even gotten to her first lesson, and she'd already gotten involved in something.

"You ran into me," Emma retorted rudely, advancing further.

The brunette bristled, her fists clenching and unclenching in fury. "Don't you dare speak to me like that," she hissed.

"Like what?" The blonde let out a short, sharp laughed. "Not used to anyone standing up to you, are you?"

"No," the girl replied snappily, her eyes narrowing dramatically.

"Well it's about time someone knocked you down a notch, you bitch," Emma growled, jabbing a finger in the brunette's direction.

"Knocked me down? I'll show you knocking down." And then the blonde was slammed up against the lockers, her back hitting the metal with a resounding thud. The girl held her against them, shaking with fury. Her eyes were wild, and almost black, as she fixed Emma with a deadly glare.

With a small grunt, the blonde flipped them over, so she was the one pushing the brunette into the lockers. It felt nice to have power over the girl who'd spoken to rudely to her just a moment ago. 

She saw a small flicker of fear cross the other girl's face, and Emma faltered. She knew that fear, knew what it felt like to have someone standing over with you, and not knowing what they'd do next.

The fear was gone in a moment, and the brunette's expression remained impassive but angry. Emma could still detect the underlying worry in her espresso eyes, and she released a grip a little.

Surprise filled the girl's eyes, and she quirked an eyebrow in question. The blonde's anger began to dissipate, and she released her hold on the girl's blazer lapels. She took a step back, and brushed herself down.

The shorter girl frowned, but moved away from the lockers nonetheless, picking imaginary pieces of lint of her skirt, and straightening out her slightly crumpled blouse. 

Emma found her lips quirking at the sight, unable to help the small smile that spread across her face. Regina was flustered, her cheeks dark pink and her hair a little mussed, but she looked beautiful all the same. And that made Emma smile.

"Emma Swan, pleasure to meet you," Emma said, holding out her hand for the other girl to shake.

"Regina Mills," the brunette replied, eyeing the hand with mild disgust. She didn't take it, so Emma let it drop back down to her side.

"Ah, so you're the infamous Regina Mills? I've heard all about you," the blonde said cheekily, daring to wink at the shorter girl.

"From who?" Regina asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Ruby Lucas."

At that answer, Regina shrugged, as if to say "fair enough", but she stayed silent. The clock on the wall showed that the time was extremely close to the start of the lesson, so Emma cleared her throat to make her departure.

"Well, it was nice meeting you, Regina Mills. See you around." Then, Emma walked off, head held high, a smile playing on her lips. 

And for the first time in her life, Regina was the one left staring, jaw hanging open in shock as to what had just happened. _Damn,_ the brunette thought. _That Emma Swan is quite something._

* * *

At lunch time, Emma found Ruby in the cafeteria, sitting with another girl who sported wavy auburn hair, a short pleated skirt and a navy blouse.

The blonde approached cautiously, unsure as to whether she'd still be welcome. As she approached, the pair glanced towards her, and a smile broke out on Ruby's face as she beckoned Emma over.

"Hi," the blonde said, a little nervous. She plopped herself down on the bench opposite the two other girls and pulled her sandwich out from her bag.

"Emma, this is Belle. Belle, this is Emma," Ruby introduced, gesturing to the girl sat beside her. "Belle is my girlfriend," she added.

"Ooh, nice," Emma said, winking at them, causing a faint blush to dust Belle's cheeks.

"So, Emma, spill," Ruby demanded seconds later, slamming her hands down on the table in excitement.

"Spill what?" Emma frowned.

"You had a run-in with Regina Mills, didn't you?"

"How do you know?" The blonde groaned. _Oh, this is just great. It's my first day, and people already know who I am. Ugh._

"Emma, everyone knows! Things never stay quiet for long if they involve the one and only Queen Bee," Ruby pointed out, and Emma grimaced.

"Fair enough," she mumbled quietly.

"So what happened?" Belle asked, speaking up from where she'd been observing in silence.

"So I was walking to Math, and we crashed into each other. I fell over, but she just tripped backwards. She then got angry at me, and said it was my fault. I got angry back. Next thing I know, she was pressing me up against the lockers." Both Ruby and Belle let out small gasps at this, and Emma continued. "But then I flipped her round, and was holding her there. And then..." the blonde trailed off, remembering what had happened next.

"And then what?" Ruby prompted, eager to know more.

Emma wondered whether to tell the truth, and tell them about the flicker of fear in Regina's eyes that had made her stop. She decided against it; she'd only just met them, so perhaps it was a little deep for now.

"I just realised she wasn't worth it, and let her go. She looked super confused, which was kinda funny. And then we introduced ourselves, I said it was nice to meet her, and I walked off," the new student finished, taking a bite of her sandwich.

"You walked away, just like that?" Belle asked, seemingly a little shocked.

"Yeah." Emma shrugged, munching on the thick bread contentedly.

"No one's been brave enough to do that before, Swan. You might be in for a little run-in with Her Majesty," Ruby said, grimacing sympathetically.

"Nah, it'll be fine," the blonde assured, running a hand through her long curls.

The bell rang moments later, and all three girls got up from their seats. They said their goodbyes, exchanged numbers, and parted ways to go to their next lesson.

* * *

By the end of the day, the morning sunshine had disappeared, and the sky had turned moody and grey. Thick rain drops splashed down from the angry clouds, soaking everyone outside to the core.

Unluckily for Emma, Mary Margaret had texted her an hour before, telling her that she had to stay late at her school for a last minute meeting, and that she'd be back at 4:30PM.

So, at the end of the day, Emma was left to walk home in the rain, which was not something she appreciated. By the time she walked up the pathway to Mary Margaret's home, she was totally and utterly soaked through, her sopping hair plastered to her cheeks and her mascara running.

She fumbled around in her pocket, trying to find the set of keys her foster mother had given her earlier that day. Her teeth chattering slightly, her hands shook as she reached out her hand to slip the key into the lock.

But as she did so, she heard a small cough coming from her left. Curiously, she glanced over, and saw none other than Regina Mills sat, shivering, on the step up to her front door.

The girl was also soaked through, her blouse almost sheer from the rain, and normally perfect hair mussed and wet. Thick raindrops clung to her lashes and rolled down her face; the sight really was rather beautiful, overlooking the fact the brunette looked freezing and highly uncomfortable.

Emma paused, unsure as to why the girl was sat there. Surely Regina wouldn't just sit out in the rain? Not when she was shivering as much as she was. The blonde decided, despite their earlier clash, to be nice and ask the other teenager if she was okay.

She walked back down the path to Mary Margaret's house and turned left, entering the path to Regina's house. She walked up the the shaking girl, her brows furrowed with concern.

"Hey, Regina, are you okay?" Emma asked, coming to a stop in front of the brunette.

The girl looked up at her, her eyes a little sad. However, upon seeing the blonde, her expression was schooled, and it turned impassive. Emma sighed, moving some wet hair out of her eyes.

"What does it look like?!" Regina snapped, curling into herself a little, which Emma took as a defensive gesture.

"Why are you sitting out here in the rain? It's freezing, and you're soaked," Emma said, drawing her bottom lip between her teeth.

"My keys seem to have disappeared," the brunette admitted reluctantly.

"So you lost them?" Emma fought to hold back a giggle; the other teenager's stubbornness was rather funny. It seemed that she couldn't admit she was in the wrong.

"No, they've disappeared," Regina insisted, her eyes widening a little.

"Face it Regina, you've lost your keys and you're locked out in the pouring rain," the blonde said bluntly.

The brunette opened and closed her mouth a couple of times, seemingly trying to summon the right words. "I..."

"You can't admit it, can you?" Emma asked suddenly, as Regina's eyebrows shot up in question.

"Admit what?" She asked, feigning cluelessness.

"That you've lost them."

"It appears I have," Regina swallowed thickly and licked her lips, "misplaced them."

"See, that wasn't so hard, was it?" Emma asked, her tone teasing. This earned her an eye roll, which she just chuckled at. The blonde was suddenly overcome by a violent shiver, and she was reminded of how cold and wet she was. "Well, as much as I've enjoyed this conversation, it's freezing, and I'm soaked. Do you want to come back to Mary Margaret's? I'm sure she wouldn't mind."

Emma watched Regina's mind race as she thought about the blonde's offer. Her expression softened a fraction, before it turned icy again. "No," said shortly, turning away from the blonde a little.

The blonde sighed. "Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Is this because you hate me, or something?" Regina frowned softly, and Emma elaborated. "Because of our little run-in this morning. I know you don't like me, Regina, but surely you can swallow your pride for this."

"I'm fine, Miss Swan," the brunette snapped, closing her eyes in frustration.

"Miss Swan? What are you, eighty?" Emma teased, unable to hold in a small splutter of laughter.

"Go away," the other girl hissed, and the blonde couldn't help but marvel over how she still managed to come across as intimidating when she looked like a drowned rat.

Catching onto the glare she was being given, Emma shrugged. "Fine. Suit yourself." If Regina wanted to shoot down her attempts at being nice, then fine. While it was true that Emma currently wasn't a huge fan of the brunette, it didn't mean she wasn't willing to help her out.

"I will, thank you," Regina retorted sassily, turning her head away from Emma to signal that the conversation really was over.

The blonde hummed noncommittally, spun on her heel and began to jog back down the path, and up to Mary Margaret's house. She shoved her key into the lock and twisted it, pushing the door open.

As soon as she stepped inside, she sighed in content. The house was warm, and smelt faintly of vanilla. She pulled off her boots and set them by the door, then went about peeling off her leather jacket, wrinkling her nose when she saw droplets of water running down the leather and onto the hardwood flooring. Oops. Hopefully her new foster mother wouldn't be mad. 

She stripped herself of her clothes then and there, not wanting to drip water onto the plush carpets upstairs. Now left in her cotton bra and panties, she traipsed to the utility room to the washing machine. She shoved the clothes in along with washing powder and pressed the start button. Hopefully, they'd be done before Mary Margaret returned from work.

After racing upstairs and changing into some jogging bottoms and a tank top, both courtesy of her new mother, Emma peered out of the window, wondering if Regina was still sat where she had been half an hour ago. The rain still hadn't ceased; in fact, it was now thrashing it down even more heavily.

Just managing to catch sight of next door's front garden, Emma saw that the brunette was indeed, still sat there, shaking uncontrollably. Her teeth were chattering, and she looked positively freezing.

The blonde knew she'd never forgive herself if she didn't go and force Regina to come inside. If anything happened to the other girl, Emma would be distraught. It was a feeling she couldn't describe, and one she definitely didn't understand.

It was a small tug in the pit of her stomach, one that seemed to appear whenever she was around the brunette. Something about her elicited all kinds of feelings Emma hadn't even realised she could feel.

Finding an umbrella on a stand by the front door, the blonde slipped on a pair of trainers and opened the front door. Opening out the floral contraption, she made her way round to Regina's house.

When the brunette glanced up and saw her, she visibly sighed, her whole body deflating. "W-What d-do you w-want?" She stammered out, unable to help the clacking of her teeth as they smashed together.

"Come on Regina, come with me," Emma said firmly as she held a hand out to the girl. 

"I d-don't need your h-help," the brunette insisted, reaching feebly to pull her sodden blazer round her shaking body.

"Yes Regina, you do. You've been sat out here for god knows how long, freezing and shaking. I'd never forgive myself if something happened to you."

"W-Why?" The girl looked utterly confused as to why Emma would be upset if harm came to her. Didn't the blonde hate her? She hadn't exactly been the kindest to her that morning. Regina felt guilty for her behaviour earlier that day, which was something new. No matter how hard she searched for an explanation for the new feeling, she came up with nothing.

"I don't know," Emma replied honestly. "While I'm sure you hate me, I'm sure you'd rather not catch hypothermia. You really need to warm up."

Regina faltered. Admittedly, curling up in the warmth sounded like a dream come true to her in that moment. However, she wasn't entirely sure she wanted to spend an awkward amount of time with Emma. She still didn't know why the girl wanted to help her, but she was grateful for the offer nonetheless. Alas, she wasn't sure if she could get over her pride and accept the help.

"I-I don't h-hate you," she chose to say instead, swallowing thickly.

"Well, that's nice to know." The blonde opposite her let out a bark of laughter. There was a pause. "So are you coming?"

A sudden shiver came over Regina, and she moaned softly as she felt cold stab at her body. Her fingers and toes were already numb, and the loss of feeling was starting to creep up her arms and legs too.

"I'm f-f-fine," she stuttered, swallowing again. She tried to straighten her back to appear confident and as though she wasn't in pain, but it was impossible. She ended up curling into herself more, drawing her legs impossibly closer to her chest and bending over them as best as she possibly could.

Emma sighed heavily, and realised that Regina wasn't about to let her help any time soon. With a grumble, she folded the umbrella back up and hooked it over her forearm.

"W-What are you d-doing?" The brunette asked, her brows furrowing.

"Doing you a favour," was all the blonde offered by way of an explanation.

Regina stayed silent, still confused, as she watched Emma step closer. Before she knew what was happening, the taller girl was scooping her up in her arms and tucking her into her chest.

"W-What are you d-doing? P-Put me d-down," the brunette mumbled. She struggled and tried to kick her legs, but it was a feeble attempt, for they were practically numb by now. After a few seconds of half-assed wriggling, she fell limp in Emma's arms.

The blonde carried her with relative ease back next door, feeling worry gnaw at her gut when she saw the brunette's eyes begin to slip closed. "No, Regina, stay with me," she said softly, rubbing the girl's arm tentatively.

"'M aw'ke." Regina's speech was slurred, which only worried Emma further. She'd dealt with a case of mild hypothermia before, and she knew the kinds of symptoms the victims displayed. Slurring, mumbling and loss of consciousness were three of them. This wasn't good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did look up symptoms of mild hypothermia but the internet could be lying. I've no medical knowledge so excuse me if any of that was wrong. Kudos/comments are much appreciated! Hope you enjoyed :)


	3. The Caring

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!

As soon as she was in the house, she lay Regina gently on the couch in the living room, careful not to bash her around. A small frown was painted on the girl's lips, despite her lack of consciousness.

After making sure she was comfortable, Emma ran upstairs to get some towels, blankets and some loose clothing. She then grabbed a chocolate bar, and went about making some hot chocolate. Once she had everything, she headed back to the living room to take care of the unconscious brunette.

The blonde brushed some wet, tangled hair from the girl's face, making sure it wasn't in her eyes. She needed to wake Regina up; drying her and changing her would be impossible without some kind of aid, even if it was small.

Emma traced the brunette's cheekbone with her thumb, and really drank in just how gorgeous she was. However, just as she was getting lost in thoughts of the girl's beauty, she stopped herself abruptly. Nope, absolutely not. She was _not_ going to do this. She would _not_ fall for the straight girl. It had happened to her best friend from Boston a year ago, and it had absolutely broken her.

She pushed away the unwelcome thoughts, and took Regina by the shoulders. Gently, she shook her, trying to rouse her so she could get her warm and dry. "Come on Regina, please wake up," she whispered softly, trying desperately to fight the increasing panic building in her gut. Glancing at the clock, she sighed. It was already 4:00PM, and she wanted to have sorted Regina out before Mary Margaret came back. She didn't want the woman to have to deal with this herself. "Regina, please." Emma shook the girl again with one hand, and stroked her cheek with the other.

Slowly, thick, dark eyelashes fluttered open, and questioning mocha eyes met emerald. "C'ld," the brunette mumbled, frowning.

"I know, honey, I know. I'm going to undress you now, okay?" Emma internally smacked herself for using a pet name. _Seriously, Swan?_

Regina merely nodded wearily, her energy totally drained from her body. She hated being vulnerable, and for someone she didn't even know to see her in such a state was unnerving. Alas, there wasn't much she could do, so she just allowed it to happen, praying nothing bad would come of it.

With more care than Regina thought possible, Emma began removing her clothes, working with soft, soft hands. Fabric was pulled off gently and dropped to the floor, till the brunette was left shivering in her bra and panties. 

The blonde grabbed a bundle of towels and began to wrap them carefully around the shaking girl. Regina stayed silent as Emma worked, so the blonde didn't try to make conversation. The silence was somewhat comfortable though, which made the situation a little less awkward.

Slowly, the taller girl rubbed the brunette dry, before hesitating. She needed to remove Regina's underwear, but she wasn't sure how to go about it. Now that the girl was a little more awake, Emma didn't want to just do it, for fear of the her protesting.

"Regina, I need to take off your underwear, okay?" She asked hesitantly, drawing her bottom lip into her mouth.

The brunette's eyes widened, and her cheeks immediately flushed. "N-No," she whispered, averting her eyes.

"Regina, they're wet. I have to, or you won't be able to warm up properly," Emma persisted. "You can do it yourself, if you like?"

"Y-Yes," the girl agreed. The blonde turned her back to give her some privacy, her mind wandering. How the hell had they managed to get in this kind of situation? 

When the room was still silent, minutes later, Emma began to worry. What if she'd passed out again? Hoping Regina wouldn't kill her if she was in a state of undress, the blonde spun round.

The brunette was sat there in just her panties, shivering, with tears dripping down her cheeks. Emma rushed to her side, trying to ignore the fact the girl was braless. She managed to succeed... almost. _Eyes up, Swan. This is not the time to be ogling her breasts._

"Come on honey, I'll help you," the blonde cooed softly, lifting a loose baseball tee over the girl's head, encouraging her to lift her arms up. Regina sat silently, cooperating without protest.

Emma then draped some thick blankets round her shoulders, and the brunette pulled them round her, her expression blank and her eyes unfocused.

"I'm going to take your underwear off now, okay Regina?" The blonde asked tentatively, and once she received an almost imperceptible nod from the other girl, she hooked her thumbs round the waistband of the lacy black panties.

Averting her eyes, she pulled them down, and slipped on some dry cotton briefs instead. She then helped Regina into some loose jogging bottoms with care.

Once done, Regina was wrapped up in three blankets, curled up on the couch. Emma handed her the hot chocolate and chocolate bar silently, her eyes full of concern.

Regina looked at her questioningly, meeting her gaze for the first time. "You need to eat them to raise your blood sugar," she said by way of explanation.

"I don't eat chocolate," she said quietly.

"Well you do now," Emma pointed out, unwrapping the dairy milk bar and shoving it into her hand. "You need to eat it, please."

Reluctantly, Regina raised it to her lips and took a bite. "How are you feeling?" Emma asked nervously, unsure where to look.

"Cold, but okay," the brunette said softly, offering a small flicker of a smile. 

Emma hesitated. She knew that one of the best ways to warm someone up was with body heat, but she wasn't entirely sure how willing Regina would be to spoon with her. _Actually, I don't care. She needs to warm up, so that's what I'm going to help her do._

The taller girl kicked off her shoes and motioned for Regina to lie down at the edge of the couch. "What?" The brunette asked, frowning when she saw Emma prepare to lie behind her.

"You need to warm up, so I'm sharing my body heat with you," the blonde offered, shrugging.

"I'm not spooning with you, Miss Swan," Regina said, sniffling in disgust. _Well clearly she's feeling a bit better,_ Emma thought with a small sigh.

"Emma," the blonde said, swallowing thickly.

"Hmm?"

"My name; it's Emma, not Miss Swan."

"I know that," Regina said with a roll of her eyes.

"Move up Regina. We're spooning with each other whether you like or not," Emma said firmly.

"Miss Swan! This is assault!" The girl huffed.

"No, it's not. You're still shivering, and you need to warm up," the blonde pointed out.

"I'm not shivering," Regina insisted as a shiver wracked through her body. Emma merely raised an eyebrow challengingly, and the brunette scooted forwards, all while grumbling something about calling the police under her breath.

Emma made herself comfortable behind Regina, though there was still a good inch between them, which the brunette was making a conscious effort to keep there. The blonde sighed heavily, hooked an arm round the girl's middle and pulled her against herself.

"What are you doing?"

"What does it look like, Regina? I'm giving you body heat," the blonde half-snapped, getting tired of the shorter girl's complaining.

"I don't need it," Regina protested again.

"Regina. Stop. I'm trying to be nice here, and you're just being a bitch. I saved you from catching severe hypothermia, and I'm trying to look after you. Can you just shut up and accept the help?" Emma snapped angrily, thoughts of leaving Regina alone to shiver entering her mind.

But they were pushed away immediately, for the blonde knew that wouldn't happen. For some reason, she cared a lot for the annoying girl currently in her arms, and she had no idea why. She didn't know her, yet she cared for immensely.

In the back of her mind, she knew that she was developing a crush on her, but she deliberately glossed over that irritating fact.

Emma's little burst seemed to shut Regina up, for the girl relaxed in the blonde's arms, and even snuggled back further into her warm embrace. Somehow, the silence wasn't awkward at all, and both girl's felt themselves drifting asleep, worn out from the eventful afternoon they'd had. 

* * *

When Emma awoke, she found that she was in a different position than she had been when she'd fallen asleep. Instead of being pressed up against the back of the couch with Regina in front of her, she was now on her back, with the brunette half on top of her. One of the other girl's legs was pressed against her core, and she had a hand up Emma's top, resting specifically over her left breast. _Great,_ the blonde thought, wondering how on earth they'd both gotten into this position.

Emma began to wonder how she could get out of her current predicament when she felt a particularly heavy breath across her skin. She looked down at Regina's face, and was immediately captivated by how beautiful and serene she looked whilst sleeping. The brunette's hair fell partially over her eyes, the soft brown waves framing her face. Her lips were parted slightly, hot breath ghosting over Emma's neck, where her head was tucked. 

The blonde decided she may as well make the most of the situation, since this was likely to be the last time she was this close to Regina. Her earlier promise of not falling for the brunette - a straight girl - was thrown out of the window. How could anyone _not_ love her? Well, it wasn't quite love yet, but already a rather strong crush had been formed.

Emma lifted her hand and gingerly brushed it through Regina's hair, relishing in the silkiness of it. Her eyebrows shot up in surprise when she felt the girl shift even closer, and squeeze her left boob softly. The blonde bit back a moan at the sudden contact, and she scolded herself internally. _Stay quiet, you idiot. Just wake her up, and forget this ever happened._

But, as Emma moved a hand to shake the girl above her awake, she felt warm lips latch onto the base of her neck. The blonde froze in surprise as Regina began unconsciously sucking the skin there, gently nipping at the tender flesh. She hissed slightly in a mixture of pain and pleasure at the contact, and she immediately felt a tongue dart out to soothe the skin. As Regina gently swirled her tongue on the base of her neck, Emma let out an involuntary moan. Eyes wide, the blonde clamped a hand over her mouth, and desperately tried to figure out a way to move herself. She couldn't stay there while the brunette diligently sucked away her neck as though they were lovers. As nice as it was; it was too painful to experience.

The blonde placed a hand on Regina's shoulder and shook her gently, hoping she'd wake up. Instead of awaking, the brunette continued to feast on Emma's neck, biting and soothing the skin with rather a lot of vigour. The blonde let out another moan, this one louder and huskier. She couldn't help the small jerk of her hips as Regina pressed her thigh into her core.

Unluckily for Emma, that was what seemed to startle the brunette awake. The girl's eyes shot open in the blink of an eye, and as soon as she realised her position, she jumped off the couch with a small squeal, as though she'd been burned.

Regina now stood in front of her, eyes wide and terrified as she stared not-so-subtly at Emma's neck. The blonde sat up slowly and stretched, before realising the brunette was staring at her in horror.

"What?"

"Did I... Did I do that?" She asked fearfully, raising a shaky hand and pointing her finger at Emma's neck.

"Do what?" The blonde asked, furrowing her brow. Regina looked so utterly different standing before her in loose clothing, looking small and nervous. It was a side of her the taller girl felt almost privileged to see, despite the not so fortunate situation.

"Did I give you that?" Regina repeated, taking a fearful step back.

Still unsure as to what the girl was referring to, Emma stood and moved over to the mirror hanging above the ornate fireplace. Her eyes widened almost comically when she saw a big red bruise there; a hickey. _Oh for fuck's sake..._

The blonde turned back to Regina, who had inched further towards the door. She looked like she wanted to run far, far away. Emma didn't blame her. "Well, it seems you did. You must have been having quite the dream," the blonde said wryly.

"I'm so sorry. I-I really am. I mean, what was I thinking?" The girl stammered out, smacking a palm to her forehead. "God, I... I assaulted you. Please don't call the police. I didn't mean to, I swear," she hurried to say, her tone overly apologetic. Tears began to prick at the corner of her eyes, and she cursed herself for being so emotional.

"Hey, Regina, it's okay," Emma tried, stepping forwards.

Regina just flinched backwards, backing out into the hall. "I-I've got to go. Thank you for taking care of me. I'm sorry." And with that, the brunette was gone, running out of the house with bare feet, hair loose and flying behind her.

Emma sighed heavily and sank back down onto the couch. She scrubbed a hand over her face and wondered how on earth she'd ended up in such a situation. She glanced at the clock; 5:00PM. That meant Mary Margaret must be in the house.

Almost on cue, the petite brunette appeared at the doorway, mug in hand. "Where's Regina? She was here when I arrived from work," she asked, quirking a brow questioningly.

"She had to leave," Emma said, her voice coming out somewhat breathlessly. As soon as she noticed Mary Margaret's gaze turn to her neck, she hurriedly covered the hickey with her hair, hoping she wouldn't be questioned about it.

"Oh, okay. Did you two have a nice time?" The woman asked brightly, seemingly oblivious to any of what actually happened.

"Um, yeah," Emma said a little awkwardly.

"I'm so glad you two have become friends! Cora, her mother, and I have been best friends since they moved next door ten years ago. They're such a lovely family!" Mary Margaret said enthusiastically, a smile spreading across her lips, displaying her straight white teeth.

"Yes, she's a lovely person," the teenager lied, her mind wandering back to the girl with a soft brown hair and deep, mysterious eyes.

"Well, I came to tell you that dinner's nearly ready. It's a little early today, since David has to go out on patrol at six o'clock, so we have to finish eating by then," the brunette explained.

"Okay, is there anything I can do to help?" Emma asked, searching for a distraction from the thoughts currently plaguing her mind.

"You could set the table, if you like?" Mary Margaret suggested, beginning to turn back round to head to the kitchen.

"Sure." Emma rose from her seat and followed the woman, glad she was going to be occupied. The longer she spent thinking about Regina, the more she fell for her, which wasn't a good thing. She didn't want to end up falling for a straight girl, but she feared it was inevitable, especially when Regina was as gorgeous as she was. There was something about her that drew Emma in, something that intrigued her. She wanted to become friends, if nothing else, and learn a little more about the girl she'd saved from the cold.

* * *

"So how was your first day at school?" David asked whilst serving himself some boiled potatoes.

"It was... good," Emma said, unsure what word would best describe her dramatic first day in Storybrooke.

"I'm glad. Have you made any friends?" He asked, chewing on his grilled chicken.

"Yes, I have. Ruby Lucas and Belle French," she said, recalling the couple's happy smiles at lunch time.

"Oh those girls are such a lovely couple, how sweet. And you've made friends with Regina, haven't you?" Mary Margaret prompted, remembering how she'd walked in to see the girls curled up on the couch together. She'd thought nothing of it, until she'd noticed the rather intimate position they had been sleeping in. Perhaps a little too intimate for "just friends". But, then again, Emma had only been here for a day, so it was unlikely that the girls were _quite_ that close already.

The petite brunette suspected something would come out of their little friendship, but it was too early to judge. Anyways, who was she to assume? She made a mental note to chat to David about it later, wondering what he'd say on the subject.

"Yes, we're... friends?" The statement came out as more of a question, which caused Mary Margaret to quirk an eyebrow at her husband, who did the same.

"Well, that's nice," the woman said instead, smirking. Emma looked back and forth between her new parents and narrowed her eyes a little, wondering what the small glances between themselves meant. She shrugged it away; it was probably just her being suspicious.

Dinner was finished in a comfortable silence, until David rose to fetch the rhubarb crumble from the oven. Once he was gone, Mary Margaret leaned forward over the table and fixed Emma with an apprehensive stare.

The brunette decided to ask Emma now if there was something going on between her and Regina. _Better to know now,_ she thought. If so, she would fully support the blonde, and perhaps even speak to Cora about pushing them together a little.

"What?" Emma asked, slightly unnerved by the intensity of the gaze being thrown at her.

"So, is there anything going on between yourself and Regina?" Mary Margaret asked bluntly, a hint of a smile playing at her lips.

The teenager froze. "W-What makes you say that?" She reached for her glass of water and took a large gulp to try and hide the pink blush rising to her cheeks.

"Well, I saw the position you two were in when I came home. It was rather... close," the woman pointed out, raising an eyebrow in question.

Emma flushed rapidly, and spluttered, causing her to choke a little on her water. Mary Margaret watched with concern as she coughed it out, pressing a hand to her chest. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, yes, I'm okay," the blonde assured once she'd calmed down. She hoped the conversation would now take a different turn; she couldn't believe she'd only been here one day and she was being questioned about love interests. _At least she seems okay with me liking girls,_ Emma thought to herself, remembering with a small shudder the last family she'd had.

"So... you and Regina?" The woman prompted, unable to hold back her small chuckle when Emma looked down for a moment and bit her lip.

"No! No. No no no. There's nothing going on," Emma rushed to say, her cheeks heating up. 

"Are you sure?"

"Yes! Yes. I'm sure," she confirmed, squirming a little in her seat.

Mary Margaret's theory was correct; there was something between them. What it was, she didn't know, but judging by Emma's hurried denial, there was definitely something going on. And she intended to find out what. Talking to Cora later would be a good place to start.

"Okay, okay." The pixie-haired brunette raised her hands up in a gesture of surrender, just as David returned carrying the crumble with oven gloves. Mary Margaret said nothing and rose to go and get some small plates for the dessert.

Emma sat silently as she pondered what her foster mother had said, and how she'd acted. Perhaps this whole 'sharing stuff' thing wasn't so bad. I mean, the blonde knew she hadn't exactly told her anything, but maybe she could think of Mary Margaret as more of a friend than a mother. It would definitely be easier that way. She decided to give it a go, and be a little more relaxed around the young woman.

* * *

"David, I need to talk to you," Mary Margaret said that evening, once David was back from his two hour patrol.

"Yes, honey?" The man lowered himself onto the couch and got comfortable. He reached for the TV remote and pointed it at the screen, turning it on.

"It's about Emma," she began, taking a seat on an armchair diagonally opposite him.

"Lovely girl, isn't she?" David turned his attention to his wife, tearing his eyes away from the baseball game on the TV.

"Yes, yes, but that's not what I wanted to say," Mary Margaret said, rolling her eyes.

"Then what is it? 

"Well, I think there might be something going on between her and Regina. And if there isn't, I think she likes her. You know, like that." The brunette wasn't sure on her husband's opinion on the LGBT+ community, but she was pretty sure that he was okay with it. She certainly was, but she had to make sure David was too.

"Okay... how does this concern me?" The man let out a short bark of laughter, furrowing his brow in confusion. 

"I just wanted to let you know, you know, in case you had any objections."

"Why would I? Love is love. You can't help your feelings, and if Emma likes Regina, then that's fine with me," he said wisely, smiling softly at his petite wife.

"Oh good, I was hoping you'd be okay with it." Mary Margaret allowed a smile to spread over her lips; now she could go ahead with her plan and call Cora.

"Of course I am." David clocked his wife's cunning grin, and narrowed his eyes suspiciously. He knew that devilish little smile, and it was never good. "Honey, what are you planning?"

"I'm just going to speak to Cora about it, don't worry," she assured him, brushing off his concern with a wave of her hand. She didn't want him getting involved; that certainly wouldn't end well.

"Okay, fine, but don't get too involved, darling. You don't even know if Emma likes her," he warned, knowing somewhere in his heart that no matter what he said wouldn't stop Mary Margaret from doing what she wanted to.

"Oh trust me, she does." The woman thought back to Emma's dark flush and nervous stutter earlier than evening; yes, she definitely liked Regina, at least to some extent.

"Okay, okay, but just be careful."

"I will David, I will," the petite brunette said as she rose from her seat on the armchair, the task of calling Cora at the front of her mind.

"Good."

* * *

"Cora Mills speaking," came a rich voice from the other end of the phone.

"Cora," Mary Margaret greeted, a smile playing her lips. Ever since the Mills' had moved next door ten years ago, the two women had become the best of friends. They went out for coffee once a week, and spoke daily either over the phone - if they were busy - or in person, if they had time.

"Ah, Snow," the older woman replied, calling the younger of the two by the nickname she'd come up with all those years ago.

* * *

_"Ah, Mary Margaret, how nice to see you again," Cora Mills greeted, smiling warmly at her neighbour. It was the second time they'd met, the first time being when Mary Margaret had taken round a lemon drizzle cake as a housewarming gift._

_"Cora, it's nice to see you too," the shorter brunette replied, beaming. The sun was sweltering, it's rays beating down on the town of Storybrooke. The trees were motionless, for there was no breeze, adding to the humidity of the day._

_"Have you got sunscreen on, dear? It's so hot, and your skin is so pale. I'd hate for you to burn," the older woman said, quirking an eyebrow._

_"Oh god, that reminds me! Thank you! And oh yes, my skin is rather pale, isn't it?" Mary Margaret looked down at her hands, wrinkling her nose at the pale white skin her eyes came into contact with._

_"Hmm, yes. Almost as white as snow," Cora pointed out with a small chuckle._

_"My mother used to call me Snow White," the pixie-haired brunette confessed, blushing a little at the childish nickname._

_"Then so shall I. It's a sweet name, and it's really rather apt," the older woman said with a smile. They both laughed, and bid each other their farewells - Cora to bake some cookies, and Mary Margaret to apply some sunscreen._

* * *

"How's your day been?" Mary Margaret asked. They always began their conversations like this, asking the other how their days were, before they moved onto more specific topics.

_"Good thank you, yours?"_

"Yes, yes, good thank you."

 _"So I met your new daughter today, Emma Swan,"_ Cora said, thinking back to the brief time in her office in which she'd spoken to the girl.

"And?" Mary Margaret prompted, wondering how the blonde had gotten on at school.

 _"She seems like a wonderful girl. How's she been?"_ Cora was immensely happy for the Nolan's; they were unable to have children of their own, and when they'd decided to foster, they had come to her for advice. Fostering an older child had been thrown around as an option, and had been settled on as the final choice.

"Brilliant. She's a little shy, but she's great," the younger woman said into the phone, and her friend could sense the smile she knew was playing at her lips.

_"That's good."_

Mary Margaret decided to broach the subject of their two daughters. She wasn't sure what Cora would think, but she had to try. "I think Emma and Regina may have a little something going on."

 _"Ah, speaking of those two, do you have any idea why Regina came flying into the house bare footed in Emma's clothes earlier?"_ Cora frowned, her mind taking her back to when her daughter had come rushing into the house, her cheeks flushed.

* * *

_Regina hurried into the house, hoping her mother wasn't home. It would make for an awkward conversation if she was._

_"Regina, is that you? You've been gone ages. Where were you?" Cora emerged from the kitchen, an onion in one hand and a knife in the other._

_The brunette sighed; it seemed luck wasn't on her side today. "I've been..." she began, but then she stopped, struggling to find the words to say next._

_"Are these your clothes?" Cora narrowed her eyes, scanning her daughter's body up and down._

_The teenager groaned inwardly, realising she was going to have to tell the truth. There was no way her mother would believe they were her clothes. "No, they're Emma's. I was wet from the downpour earlier and she offered me dry clothes," she explained._

_"So where are your clothes then?" The woman frowned, and watched as Regina smacked her palm to her forehead._

_"Oh god, I left them there," she groaned, images of Emma undressing her flooding into her mind. She felt her cheeks heat up in embarrassment. She wasn't sure she'd ever be able to face the blonde again. The next few days would hold some serious avoiding._

_"It's fine, I'll get Mary Margaret to give them to me tomorrow," Cora said, waving away Regina's concern with a flick of her wrist._

_"Okay," the brunette said awkwardly, and her mother frowned, wondering why her daughter was suddenly so flushed._

_"Why aren't you wearing shoes?"_

_"I-I thought it would be easier to come home without shoes on, since it's only next door," Regina lied, not knowing what else to say. The girl wrung her hands together nervously - a longtime habit she'd gotten from her father. She couldn't very well tell her mother that she'd run away as fast as possible after waking up having sucked Emma's neck in her sleep._

_"Right..." Cora said skeptically, almost sure that her daughter was lying. Regina had a tendency to fidget a little when she made a lie up on the spot._

_"I'm going to my room," the teenager announced suddenly, wanting nothing more than to curl up on her own and wallow in self pity._

_"I'll call you when dinner is ready," Cora said, returning to the kitchen after watching her daughter nearly sprint for the stairs. Clearly something had happened._ Hmm, interesting. 

* * *

"I can't say I do, I'm afraid. When I came in, they were tangled up on the couch together like lovers," Mary Margaret commented, remembering how surprised she'd been when she'd walked in to see the intimate position.

 _"Really?"_ Cora asked in disbelief, her eyebrows shooting into her hairline. Well that was new.

"Yes. Emma likes Regina, I'm sure of it," the younger woman said, drawing her brows together in thought.

 _"My daughter can be rather... bitchy, at times, as you know, but she's got a heart of gold in there somewhere,"_ Cora said softly, knowing her protective of herself her daughter was. She often came across as a bitch to others, but inside she was a big softie.

"Oh she does. I remember that she didn't really like me until a good few months had passed," Mary Margaret recalled with a fond chuckle. Six-year-old Regina was adorable.

 _"I remember,"_ Cora agreed. _"Alas, my poor little baby is still in the closet. She's got not clue she's as gay as a fucking rainbow."_ The woman groaned, scrubbing a hand lightly across her face in frustration.

"What, really?" This was news to the younger of the two. She'd thought Regina was gay, but she didn't know she was in denial - this wasn't good.

 _"I'm afraid so,"_ Cora admitted, wincing slightly at her own words.

"From the way those two were laying together, I'd never have guessed she was in denial," Mary Margaret commented.

 _"I'm pretty sure everyone else knows it. I know it, Henry knows it, Zelena knows it. I don't know why in the world she's with that forest raccoon. Oh, what's his name?"_  

"Robert? Ray? Roger?" The pixie-haired brunette suggested, trying to snatch at the same bumping around in her brain.

 _"No, wasn't it Ronald? Or Ralph?"_ Cora challenged, squinting her eyes in thought.

"No Cora, I swear it was Ross. Wait, are you even sure his name begins with R? Maybe his name is Tom, or something?" The younger woman said, as though she'd had a sudden revelation.

 _"No no, it's definitely an R,"_ Cora insisted.

"Hmm... how about Robin?"

 _"Yes yes yes, that's the one. I don't know why she's with him. He's such a scumbag,"_ the older woman grumbled, rolling her eyes to herself, something which Mary Margaret could sense.

"Well Cora, how would you feel about a little matchmaking plan?" The younger woman suggested, raising an eyebrow, excited to tell the woman of her plan.

Cora let out a small gasp of surprise. _"Well Snow, I'd be delighted,"_ she agreed, smirking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed! Kudos/comments are much appreciated!


	4. The Scheming

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!

Zelena came up to her mother's study, door, planning to ask for a book from the bookshelf when she stopped in her tracks. She pressed her ear to the door and listening, sworn she'd heard her name.

"...Zelena will agree," came her mother's voice. "She'd be delighted..."

The ginger girl frowned, wondering exactly what she'd be delighted about. She pressed even closer, squinting her eyes as she tried to piece together the faint voice coming from inside.

The door swung upon, revealing Cora, one eyebrow quirked, holding the phone against her chest. "Zelena, how nice of you to join us. Hear anything good?" The woman said sarcastically, but her eyes glinted mischievously as she took in her daughter's deer-in-headlights expression.

"Mother, I was just..." the girl trailed off, her mind freezing over. 

"It's okay honey, I need to talk to you anyway. Come in," Cora said with a small smile, opening the door wider.

Zelena sighed dramatically, pressing a hand to her chest. "God Mother, you scared me. I thought you were going to tell me off," she said honestly. 

"Well, I don't encourage eavesdropping," the woman began, glaring pointedly at her daughter. "But it's something I need to speak with you about anyways, so I'm excusing your behaviour this time," she finished, letting out a small chuckle at Zelena's sigh of relief.

"Mary Margaret, I must go, I'm afraid. I'll speak with Zelena now, and text you later," Cora said into the phone, her eyes bright.

 _"Okay Cora, good luck!"_ Mary Margaret said cheerfully, an underlying tone of cheek in her voice that Zelena hadn't hear in a while.

"Ta ta, my dear." The teenager's mother ended the call, and let her arm fall to her side. Silently, she led her daughter over to the couch in the middle and sat down, gesturing for her to do so too.

"Mother, what _is_ this about? You're being awfully secretive, and Mary sounded pretty suspicious too. What's going on?" Zelena asked curiously, her eyebrows raising at the look of joy in her mother's eyes. It was a cunning look the girl hadn't seen before, and frankly, it was rather nerve-wracking. 

"Nothing to worry about, dear. I just need your help with something, that's all."

"What is it?"

"Well, Mary Margaret and I think that Emma Swan, her foster daughter, and Regina perhaps have small crushes on each other. She says that when she asked Emma about it, the girl was quick to deny, and also quick to blush. We feel that—" Cora was interrupted by an excited squeal, followed by the sound of feet hitting the floor heavily. Zelena had jumped up in surprise and was now pacing the length of the room.

"Regina has a crush?! How do you know? God that stupid girl doesn't even realise how fucking gay she is, I swear. Isn't she still with the guy who smells of forest? Or did she _finally_ get rid of him?"

"Don't interrupt me, Zelena! And language!" Cora said exasperatedly, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Sorry Mother, I'm just excited," she said sheepishly.

"It's okay," the woman assured, waving her hand. "In answer to your questions, we don't know for sure if Regina likes her, but we suspect it. She came home dressed in Emma's clothes; apparently the girl gave them to her because she was wet," Cora explained, and Zelena's eyebrows shot up. She snorted.

"Wet? You do mean wet from the rain, don't you?" The ginger-haired girl smirked, earning a wide-eyed glare from her mother.

"Zelena don't be so crude!" She scolded, trying not to laugh at her daughter's words. While they were rude, they did make her smile.

"Sorry!"

"Yes, of course I mean wet from the rain," Cora confirmed, rolling her eyes. "Regina was rather flushed and fidgety when I asked her about it. Whether it's a crush or not, Emma has at least caught her attention," she said thoughtfully, her brow furrowing lightly.

"Hmm okay so what's the plan?"

"Well, bearing in mind Regina is still with Robin—" Cora started, unable to stop herself spitting his name out like it was poison on her tongue.

"Oh that's his name!" Zelena interrupted, gesticulating wildly with her arms.

"Zelena!" The woman snapped. She swore half the time the girl didn't even realise she was interrupting.

"Sorry!"

"As I was saying, before I was so rudely interrupted," Cora punctuated the words with a sharp glare. "Mary Margaret and I have a plan to make Regina jealous, forcing her to admit her feelings."

"And I'm guessing this is where I come in?" Zelena asked, ceasing her pacing and sinking back down on the couch.

"Yes. If it's okay with you, we'd like you to flirt with Emma, and then ask her out. Regina will then catch you kissing, and be jealous, and hopefully it'll all fall into place from there," Cora explained, proud of the plan she and her best friend had formed.

"And is Emma going to know about this?" Zelena narrowed her eyes, her mind already whirring. There was so much potential; she was going to make sure she played her part to the max.

"Yes. Well, Mary Margaret is asking her about it as we speak."

"Okay. So, do you have a photo or something? I want to know who I'm meant to be seducing," Zelena said with a wiggle of her eyebrows. Her mother rolled her eyes at her daughter's antics.

"Well the plan is to invite the Nolan's and Emma round for dinner tomorrow, so you'll see her then."

"Okay, sounds good."

"I'm glad you're up it," the woman said with a smile.

"Well you're a sneaky little bitch, aren't you? I'd never have guessed you would agree to a little matchmaking scheme," the teenager said with a devilish grin.

"Language!" Cora scolded.

"I give up." Zelena threw her hands up in the air and rose from her seat. "Anyways, thanks for involving me. I can't wait."

"I'm sure you can't," the woman said with a small twist of her lips.

"Ta ta, Mother."

"Goodbye my darling daughter."

"Mother!" Zelena groaned at the term of affection, and Cora laughed evilly.

"Zelena!" She mocked, imitating her daughter's whining.

"I'm leaving," the girl said suddenly, stalking to the door with her hands planted firmly on her hips.

"Good," her mother retorted, returning the feigned glare she was shot. And with that, Zelena left, and Cora laughed.

* * *

Emma lay in bed, staring up at the plain white ceiling, her mind whirring. She couldn't sleep. While it was true she didn't often sleep, she always managed to get at least four of five hours. So, the fact that she was still awake at 4:30AM, when she had to get up in two-and-a-half hours was a little unsettling.

She knew exactly why her mind wouldn't rest; Regina. Infuriating, beautiful, mysterious Regina. The blonde couldn't help but wonder about the range of sides she'd seen of the girl earlier that day.

There had been the bitchy, defensive side at school, when she'd been slammed up against the lockers. Judging by the bruise already forming on her hip, that girl was pretty damn strong. And then there had been the vulnerable, tender side of the girl that had inevitably come out when she was freezing outside in the rain. God, that was something Emma would never forget. The shaking of the girl's body as she fought the cold would forever haunt her dreams. Finally, there was the other vulnerable side; the embarrassed side. Regina's look of wide-eyed terror as she had stared at the hickey she'd created had tugged at Emma's heartstrings.

Seeing the wide scope of emotions made the blonde want to get to know her further. She wanted to be witness to the multitude sides that Regina seemed to possess. She wanted to see the smiles, the laughter and even the despondence . She wanted to be by the girl's side through everything, attending to every sentiment she went through.

It was a powerful feeling that Emma had never known before, this want. She wasn't sure she'd ever wanted someone so much, and that scared her. She'd been through a lot, wanted so much, been denied of even more, yet she craved this girl's company more than anything else.

The thing was, getting Regina's attention was going to be harder than it sounded. She couldn't very well just walk up to the girl and start talking to her. For all she knew, the brunette hated her. Well, maybe not _hate_ , but Emma was certain she didn't like her. Despite saving the girl's ass from mild hypothermia, the blonde knew that her affections wouldn't be won that easily.

And that was why Emma had been up for Mary Margaret's plan when she'd relayed what she'd come up with. Well, what her and Cora had come up with. It had surprised her that the women were so willing and enthusiastic about this. Of course, Emma had been forced to admit her crush on Regina, but all she gotten was an excited squeal and a firm squeeze to her hand.

She'd never met Zelena, but she was bound to soon. Mary Margaret had said she went to the same school, but was in the year above. From what Emma had heard, she had flowing ginger waves and sparkling green eyes. Her beauty was well-known amongst both boys and girls, although apparently she swung the same way as Emma.

The blonde was willing to go along with the plan to draw Regina in, but she didn't want the brunette to get hurt along the way. Sure, she wanted to play on her emotions, but she didn't want to make her upset. That was the last thing she wanted.

The teenager let out a heavy breath and rolled over in bed, kicking the covers off as she did so. The sky had cleared, though it was still rather cloudy, but the heat had returned, for the most part. It wasn't hot, but it was hot enough for Emma to push the covers to the end of the bed with her feet, and sprawl herself out on the mattress.

Closing her eyes, she attempted sleep once more, but doubted that  it would come.

* * *

Emma groaned as her alarm beeped, breaking the peaceful quiet of her bedroom. She'd managed to fall asleep about twenty minutes ago from the lack of ability to keep her eyes open. Thinking ahead, the blonde wondered if she'd make it through the entire day. Possibly. She'd just have to come in and take a long, long nap.

The blonde forced herself to sit up and swing her legs over the edge of the bed, rubbing her eyes as she did so. Half asleep, she trundled into the bathroom, hoping a hot shower would wake her up. She ignored her reflection in the mirror, knowing that the sight of herself in the state she was currently in wouldn't do her any favours. It was better to look once she was actually awake.

After a quick shower, Emma went through the motions of dressing and applying some light makeup, mainly to cover up the purple bruises beneath her eyes. Once done, she grabbed her school bag from where it was hung on the back of the door and plodded down the stairs, her stomach grumbling.

Mary Margaret was pottering around in the kitchen, putting away glasses and crockery. She looked up as Emma entered and smiled widely. "Good morning Emma. Did you sleep okay?"

The teenager nodded, and faked a smile. "Yes, thank you," she lied, perching herself at the breakfast bar.

"I made you some waffles," the woman said, placing a stack of waffles with maple syrup and blueberries in front of her. Emma groaned at the sight, her eyes brightening a little.

Grabbing a fork and cutting a piece off, she slipped it between her lips. She let out a small moan at the taste, relishing in the way the flavours burst around her mouth. "Mmm, thank you Mary Margaret," she said between bites.

"No problem," the woman said. "So, there's something I need to tell you."

Emma's blood ran cold. Those words never meant something good. They were always followed by something awful, something than often resulted in her having to leave. ' _We're having a baby'_ was the first phrase that popped into her mind. She hoped to god it wasn't that. "What is it?" She asked, her voice shaky.

"We're going round to the Mills' for dinner tonight," the brunette announced, turning her back to Emma so the girl wouldn't see her secretive smile.

The teenager almost let out a whoop of relief at the sentence, but that was before the words actually hit her. When they did, she let out a small gasp. "Why?"

"Cora invited us over. She wants to meet you properly," Mary Margaret half-lied. Yes, while Cora had expressed an interest in learning more about Emma, the dinner was mainly to put their plan into action.

"O-Okay?"

"And you'll meet Zelena this evening," the woman added.

"Ah yes." In truth, Emma was rather looking forward to meeting the apparently feisty, free-spirited redhead. "I'm guessing Regina will be there then?" She asked, wanting to check.

"Yes, of course she will," Mary Margaret confirmed.

"Okay," Emma said distractedly. Now she had the whole day to think about what to wear that would impress the girl she'd come to have a crush on after just one day. _God_ , love worked in strange and mysterious ways.

Well, it wasn't quite love yet, but Emma had no doubt that it would get there. She was known for falling deep, and quickly, which was bad news for her. Especially when she highly doubted Regina would ever return her feelings. Someone like Regina would _never_ stoop as low as her - the blonde knew she didn't, and would never, deserve the brunette.

Mary Margaret just smirked at Emma's faraway expression, wondering what was going through the girl's head. _Tonight's going to be interesting._

* * *

"You did _what_?!" Ruby burst out, her voice low but urgent. 

"I carried her next door," Emma repeated, laughing out loud at the look of sheer surprise on both Ruby and Belle's faces.

"You _carried_ her? And she let you?" Belle asked incredulously. Regina Mills, letting herself be touched by another? It was unheard of. It just didn't happen. Regina Mills was a bitch. A straight up bitch. She didn't go out of her way to be horrible, but _boy_ , if you crossed her path then you were in for a hard time.

So for the couple sat in front of Emma in the canteen to believe her tale, they would need a lot of persuading. It was just too hard to comprehend.

"Yes. She struggled, but she passed out due to mild hypothermia," Emma explained with a small shrug.

"God, she must really like you," Ruby said slowly, her mind whirring.

"Like me? Rubes, she hates me, especially after yesterday. She won't look at me!" Emma said exasperatedly, thinking back to the way Regina had totally ignored her in Math.

"Emma, trust me, she does not hate you. If she hated you, you'd be in tears already," Belle interjected. Her and Ruby shared a knowing smile, before turning their attention back to Emma, who sat with her head in her hands.

"Well she's ignoring me," the blonde grumbled, wishing the brunette would actually acknowledge her. I should have seen it coming. Why in the world did I think anything would have changed just because I saved her? Of course this would happen; I should have known.

"Emma..." Ruby began, drawing her bottom lip into her mouth. "Do you... like Regina?" She asked cautiously, watching carefully for her friend's reaction.

"Like her?" Emma said quickly, her head snapping up.

"Yes, like her," Ruby repeated, watching suspiciously as the blonde's cheeks darkened and her eyes widened.

"Uh yeah, I mean, sure. She's alright," the tall blonde said hurriedly, pressing her palm to her cheek. She could feel the heat rising to it, and she cringed inwardly.

"No, Emma. Do you _like_ like her?" Belle insisted, narrowing her eyes. She arched her eyebrow, and fixed the flushed girl with a pointed look.

"No! I don't have a crush on her!" Emma hissed, pushing back her chair. This was too much. She needed to leave.

"Are you sure? Because your blush and eye aversion would suggest otherwise," Ruby pointed out with a cheeky wink.

"Look, you two, I've got to go. I'll talk to you guys later," the blonde said, rising from her seat. She began backing away, her whole face pink.

"Emma, wait!" Ruby called after, a laugh bubbling from her lips.

"Bye!" Emma shouted over her shoulder, a small laugh of her own emanating from her mouth.

Now, it was time for French; with Regina.

* * *

Emma glanced across the room for what just have been the millionth time, trying to catch Regina's eye. The brunette girl was successfully avoiding eye contact, and had remained facing forwards the whole lesson so far. 

The blonde was beginning to wonder if Regina really did hate her, like she thought. She'd started to convince herself that the girl didn't actually despise her, but who was she kidding? _Regina is the most popular girl in the school; she has no time for nobody's like me._  

Frowning, Emma began to doodle on the side of her page, Mademoiselle Adelise's words began to fade into the background as the girl let her mind wander. Tonight, she had to sit through dinner at Regina's house. Did Regina know already? _Is that she won't look at me? Because she's angry she's going to have to endure my presence?_

Emma was at a loss of knowledge. All this not knowing was eating at her; she had to find out if the brunette hated her or not. If so, she would tell Mary Margaret to call off the plan, and she would learn to live with her crush, or get over it. Whether Regina hated her or not, it was still never going to happen. The girl was still in the closet, according to Mary Margaret - which was just brilliant.

Having made up her mind, Emma tore the corner of her page off, and scrawled the four-worded question that had been running through her mind in a frenzy the past forty-five minutes:

_Do you hate me?_

She folded the note in half, then nudged Abigail, the girl sat next to her. The other blonde looked towards her, and Emma handed her the note and nodded towards Regina. Abigail passed it along to Fiona, who then passed it to James, before it finally landed on Regina's desk.

The brunette didn't seem to notice the slip of paper until a few minutes had passed. She looked down to make some notes, and there on her desk, was a small piece of ripped paper. Glancing sideways, she noticed Emma staring at her apprehensively. Regina looked away immediately, heat rising to her cheeks.

She knew she'd ignored Emma all day, and she was highly aware of the constant stares she'd been attracting. The blonde couldn't seem to stop looking at her, and it was making her antsy.

The reason Regina had been avoiding the blonde - not that they were friends anyway - was because of her constantly increasing embarrassment over what happened yesterday. Emma, a stranger, had witnessed her at her most vulnerable. And that scared her.

The brunette picked up the paper and unfolded it, letting her eyes skim over the words. A small frown settled on her face, and she looked over to Emma again. The blonde was sat, resting her chin on her left hand, avoiding her gaze. Regina sighed, and lifted her pen to reply to the message.

Of course she didn't hate Emma; she barely knew her. Something about the girl intrigued her to no end, and she was almost desperate to find out more about her. She was sure not many people would have done what she did. Despite being the Queen Bee, she was hated by many. Many who she was sure would turn a blind eye had they been the ones to witness her shivering the previous evening.

"Miss Mills, I asked you a question." Mademoiselle Adelise's thick French accent jolted her from her thought, and she looked up, blushing.

"I'm sorry, Mademoiselle. Please could you repeat it," she asked sweetly, ignoring everyone's stares as they all turned to look at her, shocked she'd been called out. She was never called out, for she was always the most well-behaved student in the classroom. Obviously not today. _That damn Emma Swan,_ Regina thought, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Translate «mon nom est Regina Mills et j'ai 16 ans» into English," Mademoiselle Adelise repeated. Luckily for Regina, she'd always been a whizz at languages, and the answer came to her in a flash.

"My name is Regina Mills and I am sixteen years old," she translated, smiling at her teacher, hoping to get back into her good books.

"Bien joué!" The woman said, clapping her hands approvingly. The brunette sighed with relief, and picked up the note for Emma, sending it back along the route it had taken to reach her.

As soon as the piece of paper landed on her desk, courtesy of Abigail, Emma snatched it up. Holding her breath, she opened it out. What she saw made her heart jump in her chest.

_No._

That one word, those two letters, made Emma let out a long, relieved breath. _Thank god,_ she thought, unable to keep the smile off her lips.

She sensed Regina's eyes on her, so she quickly flicked her gaze left, hoping to catch her, but the girl looked away just in time. The brunette's cheeks flushed, and Emma found that she couldn't calm the rapid beating of her heart.

The blonde tucked the note into her pocket, now looking forward to this evening slightly more than before. While this didn't make the two girls friends, at least it meant that Regina didn't hate her.

* * *

Groaning, Emma flopped down on her bed, running a hand over her face for the tenth time in seven minutes. They were leaving for Regina's in twenty minutes, and she had yet to choose something to wear. It also didn't help that she'd been at it for an hour already.

She jumped as a knock sounded at her door, and sat up on her bed. "Come in," she called wearily. Mary Margaret appeared, holding something in her hand.

"Hi Emma, how are you doing?"

"Um, fine?" The blonde flopped back down on the bed and eyed the brunette, tiredness lacing her voice.

"You're not ready, are you?" Mary Margaret surveyed the mess of clothes littering the floor with a look of slight disgust, and Emma felt a little guilty. She wasn't used to having people look after her or watch out for her, and the woman had bought her all these clothes, and now she'd just left them lying on the floor.

Emma ignored the feeling, and propped herself up on her elbows. "No. I can't find anything suitable to wear," she confessed, groaning softly.

"What do you want to wear? Trousers? A dress?" Clothes were picked up off the floor and hung up again on hangers, while the teenager watched quietly.

"I was thinking jeans and a nice top," she said thoughtfully, not wanting to dress up and give the impression of trying too hard. She was still in a high over the reply to the note she'd given Regina, and she wanted to look her absolute best this evening.

"Yes, I think that would work nicely," Mary Margaret agreed, bending to pick up a slightly crumpled blue shirt. "Do you have any tops to wear?"

"I have the ones you got me, which I appreciate very much, but none of them feel right to wear in this kind of situation," Emma said with a small grimace. She hated to think that the woman before her would think her ungrateful for everything she'd bought her, because she was anything but. The immense gratitude she felt was hard to put into words, and she just hoped the woman knew just how thankful she was.

"Well, I may be able to help with that." And from somewhere, Emma wasn't entirely sure where, Mary Margaret produced a shirt that could only be described as gorgeous.

It was plain, and oh so simple, but it looked soft and silky and was the most gorgeous pale purple. It wasn't something she'd usually go for, but damn was it nice. The way the fabric rippled as it moved was captivating, and the light bounced off the obviously high-quality material.

"Mary Margaret! Wow, it's gorgeous!" Emma took the proffered piece of clothing and ran her hands over it. The feel of the silk between her fingers was really rather magical, and she couldn't help the smile that came to her face. Normally, someone wouldn't be fascinated by something as small as the fabric of a shirt, but Emma had learnt to appreciate the small things in life, and she loved that about herself.

"It's for you," the pixie-haired brunette said simply, a gentle smile gracing her lips.

"Really?" Emma glanced up in shock. She'd wanted to assume it was for her, but she hadn't been sure. She'd done a lot of assuming all her life, which hadn't always ended well.

"Yes. You should wear it tonight," Mary Margaret woman suggested.

"Wow, thank you so much. I love it!" The blonde held it close to her chest, as if afraid it would disappear from her hands at any moment.

"Hurry, put it on. We have to leave very soon!" The brunette turned to leave, throwing Emma one last smile before she hurried away, slipping out of the door.

"I know! Thank you!"

"No problem, Emma," she called over her shoulder.

Sighing softly, Emma rose from her seat on the bed and put the shirt down. She lifted her grey tank top over her head and dropped it unceremoniously to the floor. Slightly nervously, she picked up the shirt and lifted on and over her head. It slid on like a dream, the fabric like waves gracefully rolling in and out of a bay.

Brushing herself down, she stared at her reflection in the full length mirror. She looked good, and she knew it. Her skinny jeans appeared almost painted on, and the light colouring of the shirt complimented her hair and eyes wonderfully.

She quickly checked the time; she had fourteen minutes to make herself look beautiful. Hastily, she grabbed her small makeup bag and headed to the bathroom, already pulling out her foundation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed! Kudos/comments are much appreciated :)


	5. The Falling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!

The Nolan's - including Emma - stood outside the Mills' mansion, a bouquet of tulips (Cora's favourite) and a bottle of Chardonnay in Mary Margaret's hands. Seconds later, the door swung open, revealing Henry Mills, dressed in smart - no doubt expensive - black trousers and a pressed blue shirt. Emma shifted uncomfortably on the spot, transferring her weight from foot to foot as she looked anywhere but upwards. One look at the adults around her proved that she didn't fit in at all. And she probably never would.

Mary Margaret was, as usual, dressed in pastel colours (a plain coral dress and a white cotton cardigan), and David stood proudly next to her, looking smart in chinos and a checkered shirt. Emma just felt out of place, despite her formal-looking black jeans and gorgeous lilac top. _Should I have worn a dress? It all seems very formal for best friends,_ she wondered, frowning softly.  
  
Emma was jolted out of her thoughts by Mary Margaret stepping forward to receive a gentle kiss on either cheek, and she stepped to the side awkwardly.  
  
"It's great to see you, Henry," the brunette greeted warmly, a slow smile spreading across her lips.  
  
"You too, Mary, and you, David," Henry said, shaking David's hand once, firmly, like men tend to do. And then, the man turned to Emma, who was shifting from foot to foot, eyes cast downwards. "Hello Emma, it's a pleasure to meet you," he said kindly, and the blonde's head snapped up as she heard her name.  
  
"I-It's nice to meet you too," she said quickly, all in one breath. She accepted the handshake he offered her, and then they were all invited inside, into the enveloping warmth of the house.  
  
The place smelled heavenly, rich aromas comprised of a diverse set of spices wafted into the foyer from the kitchen. Emma almost moaned at the smell alone, and she couldn't even begin to imagine the treat that her taste buds were sure to be in for.

Moments later, Cora appeared in front of them, dressed to perfection in a deep purple, form-fitting dress and four inch Louboutin heels. Blood red lipstick painted her lips, and a diamond earring and necklace set finished off her quite regal esque look. An apron (an admittedly very pretty apron), was the only thing that looked mildly out of place, tied around her waist and neck.  
  
"Snow, David, how nice to see you," Cora shook David's hand with a smile, then embraced her best friend and planted two loud kisses on her respective cheeks.  
  
"We see each other every day," Mary Margaret pointed out with a chuckle and a smile.    
  
"Formalities, my dear, formalities," the woman rolled her eyes and dismissed the comment with a small flourish of her hand. She then turned to the blonde standing to the side, but a little behind, Mary Margaret. "And Emma, good evening. How are you?"  
  
"I'm okay thank you Mrs Mills, yourself?" Emma said sweetly, standing up straight and fixing a practiced - albeit slightly artificial - smile onto her face.  
  
"Oh Cora is just fine out of school, dear," the tall brunette replied, her tone kind.  
  
"Okay."  
  
"Well well well, what do we have here?" A loud, chirpy and decidedly British voice filled the room. And following the voice came a girl; a pretty girl.  
  
Emma's eyes widened slightly as she took in bouncy red curls, piercing blue eyes and a tall, slim body. _Wow, she's hot,_ the blonde thought, feeling her cheeks heat up a little. _That must be Zelena._ _  
_  
Zelena's eyes immediately found Emma, and she whistled lowly  when she saw her. "Damnnn," she said, her voice slightly husky.  
  
"Zelena!" Cora scolded gently from beside her, swatting her arm playfully.  
  
"Mother, I am allowed to appreciate beauty," the girl retorted smartly, rolling her eyes. She stepped forward. "So you must be the Emma that I’ve been hearing so much about?"  
  
"That's me," the blonde said with a small smile, appreciative of the attention. Making Regina jealous shouldn't be a problem; her sister was hot, and Emma knew she wouldn't have much trouble pretending to date her. _I mean, who wouldn't want to?_ _  
_  
While Zelena was hot, Regina was beautiful. There was a deep kind of mystery and secrecy about the brunette, whereas the redhead on the other hand, seemed to be overly extroverted, and an open book. Emma appreciated the older sister's beauty, but she knew that her heart would only ever belong to the younger of the two.  
  
"Can I feel your muscles?" Zelena asked bluntly, her eyes fixing on a toned bicep.  
  
"Sure," Emma said with a chuckle, and so the girl reached forward and squeezed, scoffing in shock as she did so.  
  
"Bloody hell, those are some muscles! Can you flex?" She asked, fascinated.  
  
The blonde did as she asked, and stood with a cheeky smile on her face as her muscular bicep was felt up by the hot redhead and her long slender fingers.  
  
Regina chose that moment to walk in, which probably wasn't for the best, since her previously neutral expression hardened as soon as she saw her sister touching Emma.  
  
"Good evening," she greeted, smiling tightly.  
  
"Hey sis, come feel Emma's muscles," Zelena called, beckoning the brunette over. The four adults tactfully chose that moment to exit the foyer, and head over to the kitchen, leaving the three girls alone.  
  
"Um, I'm okay thanks," Regina mumbled, clearing her throat awkwardly. Her face betrayed her words, for her dark eyes were fixed on the bicep that Zelena was still squeezing.  
  
"No, sis, I insist. Come _here,_ " the redhead whined, and the brunette sighed heavily.  
  
"Fine," she conceded, huffing. Once she was close enough, Zelena grabbed her hand and dragged her forward. As soon as Regina's warm, soft hand came into contact with Emma's sinewy muscle, they both jumped apart.  
  
The brunette retracted her hand as though she'd been burnt, and the blonde stumbled back a little. Zelena just watched them both, smirking devilishly as they both flushed a deep scarlet.  
  
"So Emma, where are you from?" Zelena asked, turning to the blonde who was now stood with her arms across her stomach, while studiously avoiding eye contact with Regina.  
  
"Boston." Emma didn't want to talk about her awkward, unfortunate past, especially in front of Regina, so she rapidly thought of a way to change the subject. "Can I ask you a question Zee—can I call you Zee?"  
  
"Sure, I like it," Zelena agreed with a flirtatious wink, just managing to catch Regina's glare. Emma smirked at the redhead’s flirting, and knew she had to play along in whatever fashion that she could. "But yes, ask away."  
  
"Your accent is British, and you look nothing like Regina, or your parents, so—"  
  
"I'm adopted," the girl interrupted, before Emma could finish.  
  
"I see." The blonde hummed thoughtfully. "You were very lucky," she commented, her words almost cryptic.  
  
Regina opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by a shout from the kitchen. "Dinner time, girls!"  
  
"Oooh great, I'm starving!" Zelena said loudly, her voice cheery. All three girls made their way to the dining room, and it was only then that Emma was able to get a proper look at what Regina was wearing.  
  
A short, but not too short, black dress covered her body, the neckline dipping down to show a modest amount of cleavage (an amount that left Emma yearning for more). Her lips were coloured a deep pink, and her scar stood out beautifully against her smooth olive skin. Silky hair rested gently on her shoulders, loose curls swaying as she walked.  
  
The blonde's breath left her body as the girl she'd been staring at turned to catch her eye; she'd obviously noticed the not-so-subtle eyes gawking at her. Emma whipped her head away quickly, an audible cracking sound coming from her neck as they walked. Regina smirked as the girl walking next to her turned a deep crimson in the span of two seconds.  
  
"Sorry," Emma mumbled, reaching up to rub at her neck.  
  
Zelena just regarded the pair silently, her eyes narrowing. Despite the fact her sister had no idea she was gay, and was still in the closet, the redhead was 100% sure that she had a crush on Emma; she just didn't consciously know it yet.

* * *

Dinner was a calm, silent affair, that consisted of polite conversation and small smiles. Emma had been seated - deliberately - opposite Regina, so she'd used this time to discreetly watch the brunette.

  
The blonde knew she was falling fast, faster than she liked, and it was not good news for her. She knew it was highly unlikely that Regina would ever like her as a friend, let alone as something more than that. Mary Margaret and Cora's little plan - dubbed "SwanQueen" - was likely to fail, and would probably only succeed in annoying or infuriating Regina further. _It's worth a try though,_ Emma mused as she stared dreamily at Regina, lost in her own thoughts.  
  
The young brunette was oblivious to the attention, politely speaking when spoken to. The rest of the people seated at the table knew exactly what was going on, all sharing small smirks and knowing smiles throughout the meal.  
  
"So Emma, how are you finding Storybrooke so far? Do you like it?" Henry asked, stabbing a forkful of lasagna.  
  
"Yes, it's very pretty," Emma said truthfully, recalling the scenery as she'd driven into the town.  
  
"Indeed it is. And how have you found school?" He asked further, and the blonde blushed from the attention she was garnering. All eyes were suddenly on her, including Regina's, and she could feel the blush rising to her cheeks as the seconds passed by.  
  
"It's been okay, thank you," Emma answered politely.  
  
Cora then turned to Regina, whilst smiling softly. "So Regina, how did you meet Emma. Did you see each other at school?"  
  
The brunette didn't even falter before she answered, returning the smile politely. "Yes, we had a little run-in in the corridor before first period," she explained.  
  
"A run-in?" David piped up, raising a brow in question.  
  
"Yes Regina, what _exactly_ do you mean?" Zelena added, shooting her sister a pointed look. Emma gathered that Regina had told her sister exactly what had happened, and she wondered what the brunette planned on saying. Their little "run-in", as Regina had so vaguely described it, was far from perfect behaviour.  
  
"We just bumped into each other, that's all. No harm done," Regina told them, smiling appreciatively at the proud look her mother gave her.  
  
_Oh, so she's a mommy's girl, is she?_ Emma wondered, taking in the way the girl's cheeks flushed just a little, and the way her eyes twinkled. The blonde sighed, and finished off her lasagne silently, narrowing her eyes thoughtfully whenever Regina and her mother interacted. _Yep, definitely a mommy's girl,_ she concluded by the end of the meal. 

* * *

 

After a lovely apple crumble, Cora suggested Regina take Emma up to her room, which - of course - the brunette accepted sweetly, and led the blonde away, smiling charmingly.  
  
As soon as they were away from the adults, walking up the stairs, Regina let her smile drop off her face, a small frown taking its place. They ascended in silence, though it was surprisingly a rather comfortable silence.  
  
As the pair entered Regina's room Emma stopped in the doorway. It was gorgeous, grand and elegant, and reflected Regina’s personality quite well. The main colour was cream, but there were rich purple accents dotted everywhere; the curtains, the cushions and the throw on the bed. Like Mary Margaret's house, the carpet was plush underfoot, and Emma wondered just how much money they must have to be able to afford these kinds of luxuries. The blonde had no idea, but assumed it must be a lot.  
  
"Your room is gorgeous," the taller girl complimented, and Regina blushed immediately, turning her head sharply to the side.  
  
"Thank you," she said, her voice low and gravelly.  
  
Emma walked tentatively to the bed and perched on the edge, frowning softly when Regina just shot her a dirty look. "What?"  
  
"Oh go ahead, make yourself right at home," she snapped, her fingers twitching by her sides. The vein in her forehead began to throb, bringing with it a small ache. She didn't know why she had snapped; she just had. It was her and her damn feelings.  
  
Emma has evoked feelings in her, feelings that she didn't even know she had, and she hated that. She was straight. She had a boyfriend, and she was 100% straight. Straight as a line. She definitely, _definitely_ did not like Emma in any way at all. Absolutely not.  
  
As Regina attempted to convince herself of these things, she grew increasingly more restless, her fingers clenching and unclenching into fists.  
  
"Woah, hey, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend. I just sat down," Emma defended, flinching back an inch on the bed. She raised her hands in a surrendering gesture, alarmed by the brunette's sudden change in demeanour.  
  
"Yes, you just made yourself comfortable, without asking," Regina hissed, beginning to pace the room, her eyes bright and angry, swirling with emotion.  
  
"Is that a problem?" Emma asked gently, keeping her voice low and calm.  
  
"Yes," the brunette replied with a heavy sigh, pausing in her movement to glance at the blonde, before continuing.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Do you have to question everything I say, Miss Swan?" This time Regina stopped and swung her head around to glare at the girl still perched on her bed, her eyes shooting daggers.  
  
"Miss Swan?! Come on Regina, it's Emma," the blonde groaned, scrubbing a hand over her face. "Anyway, I thought you didn't hate me," she pointed out, thinking back to their French lesson earlier that day. She still had the note tucked in the pocket of her jeans, and she was never going to lose it.  
  
"I don't," Regina argued, resuming her rather frantic pacing.  
  
"Don't you?" Emma challenged, feeling annoyance build inside her. _What is Regina's problem? I didn't do anything, and now suddenly we're arguing?_ _  
_  
"No," the girl insisted, gesticulating with her hands. _Her very nice hands,_ Emma added in her head.  
  
"Whatever," the teenager grumbled, giving up on trying to reason with the girl. "By the way, nice lie you told down there," she pointed out.  
  
"What lie?" Regina looked mildly affronted by the words, like she genuinely didn't know what lie she'd told.  
  
"The one about our little "run-in", as you put it. Was that to keep your mommy happy?" Emma used air quotations to emphasize her words, rolling her eyes as she did so.  
  
"What do you mean?" All of a sudden the brunette's voice grew dangerous, all low and threatening. Emma stiffened, tensing up her upper body, but didn't back down.  
  
"Well, you're a bit of a mommy's girl, aren't you? Wanting to please her above everything," the blonde commented, watching the way Regina drew to her full height after being a little slouched. The vein in her forehead throbbed almost painfully, and the brunette winced.  
  
"Are you insulting me?" She snapped, glaring at Emma, who had now stood up, and had folded her arms over her chest protectively.  
  
"No I'm just saying that you're a mommy's girl. It's not—" the blonde tried to explain. She genuinely hadn't meant for the comment to hurt Regina, or insult her. It had been meant as an innocent observation, not something to start an argument or to offend the girl.  
  
"Well at least I have a mom," Regina spat, interrupting Emma's sentence.  
  
The blonde’s face fell, and she looked as if she had been physically slapped. The silence that overtook the room was deafening, and Emma felt tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. She began to slowly back away, towards the door, tightening her grip over her stomach. All the while trying to curl up as much as she could within herself in order to protect herself from further harm.  
  
Regina seemed to realise the weight of what she'd said, and her expression changed completely, her eyes softening. She immediately stood less defensively, dropping her hands to her sides, and opening her stance. As she took a step forward, Emma took a step back.  
  
"Emma, I'm—"  
  
"Oh so _now_ I'm Emma?!" The blonde retorted as the small bit of strength that she still had left in her abandoned her and with this her voice broke as well as something inside of her. Her insides were twisted up in pain and Emma was once again reminded what good hope does; even when she had people on her side all that she was ever left with was pain. Desperately, she fought back tears, willing them not to fall in front of Regina.  
  
"Please, I just—"  
  
"No, Regina. _Don't._ Just _don't,_ " Emma warned, changing direction; she began to back towards the window.  
  
"You don't understand, I didn't mean to say that," the brunette tried, her tone annoyingly soft, her eyes frustratingly apologetic, her face blazing with despair.  
  
"I don't care whether you meant it or not. You still said it," Emma cried out bitterly, turning her back on Regina to fumble with the window lock.  
  
"What are you doing?" The desperation quickly becoming evident in Regina’s tone.  
  
"Leaving," the blonde said simply, sliding the large window open, letting in the cool evening breeze. It blew into her face, cooling her hot skin, calming her erratic breathing.  
  
"Emma, you can't just climb out of the window," Regina protested, walking forwards a few steps, towards the girl hanging out of the window.  
  
"What? No telling me I'm probably used to it? Huh?" Emma jibed, sneering at the brunette.  
  
"No, I—"  
  
"Save it for someone who cares. I wish I hadn't saved you yesterday," she hissed, her eyes ablaze.

“Y-You don’t mean that,” Regina stammered, fear bubbling up in her throat. All the sudden insecurities that she had were quickly pushed to the back of her mind, so that she could at least try to undo some of the harm she has caused Emma.

  
"Don't I?" The blonde retorted, her tone icy. She stuck her leg through the open window, readying herself for the descent to the ground.  
  
"Emma, please don't go. I'm sorry," the brunette tried, reaching out a hand to grab the fleeing girl.  
  
As soon as her fingers closed around her wrist, outstretched for balance, Emma froze. They both did. Body stiff, the blonde glanced down at where their skin was touching. "Let me go," she said slowly, but forcefully.  
  
"No, don't go." The smaller girl tugged on Emma's wrist, her eyes wide and pleading, begging her to stay. Emma could see the genuine hurt and guilt in her eyes, and wished she could forgive the girl, but the pain she felt threatening to overtake her was too strong to disregard.  
  
When Regina made no move to remove her hand, she jerked her arm back towards her body, successfully removing the girl's hand herself.  
  
" _Emma,_ " the brunette started, thick tears spilling over, rolling down her cheeks.  
  
"No." Ducking her body under the window, Emma moved herself out of the room. She dropped her legs down, and hung onto the window ledge with only her hands, her grip firm and her resolve strengthened.  
  
"Emma please, you'll hurt yourself," Regina pleaded, leaning her head out of the window and staring down at the girl.  
  
Emma's face was contorted in concentration, focusing on not falling and breaking all her bones. She had scaled walls many a time, escaping from shitty homes, so it wasn't particularly hard for her.  
  
Praying that she hadn't misjudged the drop, she let go of the window ledge, her body falling through the air. She heard Regina's cry from above her, but it was quickly swept away in the wind, the small noise fading into nothing.  
  
Her body landed on the soft grass below, having dived into a roll so she didn't hurt herself. Once she was standing again, she glanced up at Regina's window, checking to see if the girl had been watching. There she was, staring down at her, a mixture of relief and anguish painted on her face. Tears dripped down the brunette's cheeks, and Emma felt her stomach lurch.  
  
What Regina had said had cut through her like a knife, though she hated seeing the girl upset. _Stupid feelings, always getting in the way. I need to forget about her. It'll never happen. The plan sucks._

  
Dejectedly, Emma dropped her head and stared intently at the ground, unwilling to look back up again. She spun on her heel and walked slowly across the lawn, down the path and out of the gate.  
  
Pulling her key out of her jeans pocket - she had no idea why she'd even brought it - she shoved it into the lock and twisted. She let herself into the house, relishing in the silence that washed over her.  
  
To some, silence was deafening, uncomfortable, unwelcome, but to Emma, it was anything but that. Silence was never something she had taken for granted. In group homes, it had been such a rarity that she had come to appreciate any moment of silence she could get.  
  
Sighing heavily, she kicked off her shoes and trudged upstairs. She suddenly remembered that Mary Margaret and David were still next door, and that she was meant to be upstairs with Regina, but she couldn't bring herself to care. The brunette's words - whether she had meant them or not - had unsettled her, and had resurfaced purposely buried feelings.  
  
Once in her room, she flopped onto the bed, and curled up into foetal position, tucking her knees tightly into her body. It was a coping mechanism she'd had since a young age; curling into a ball when she felt like she couldn't deal with the outside world. It made her feel safe and, protected. Fortunately, she hadn't had to do such a thing lately, but now, it was a necessity.  
  
Finally letting the tears run freely down her face, she let out a soft sob, her shoulders shaking slightly. Oh, how her heart and body ached. 

* * *

Regina paced her room anxiously, her whole body trembling. She had fucked up. Majorly. Her and Emma weren't even friends, so why did she feel an overwhelming sense of guilt, like she'd betrayed someone close. Yet they weren't close. They were strangers.  
  
She didn't know what to do. She knew she had to reconcile with Emma; she wouldn't be able to rest until she did. Sadly, she didn't think the girl would willingly let her into her house. _But now it means I have to tell Mary Margaret, David and my parents what's happened. Ugh, fuck,_ she thought, scrubbing a hand roughly over her tear ridden face.  
  
After giving herself a once-over in the mirror and reluctantly approving her appearance, she pulled her bedroom door open, and padded down the hall and stairs. The grownups were in the living room, laughing and sipping expensive wine, exchanging gossip.  
  
Tentatively, Regina opened the door and stepped inside. The room fell silent, and all eyes turned to look at her. She cleared her throat awkwardly, and blinked slowly.  
  
"Regina, are you okay? You look a little pale," Mary Margaret asked, concern filling her wide grey eyes. Her mother was up and by her side in an instant, eyes flicking over her form, checking for injuries.  
  
"Mother, I'm fine," Regina dismissed, shrugging her mother's probing hands off her shoulders. "I have a problem though," she began, pinching the skin between her thumb and index finger.  
  
"What is it? Is Emma okay?" Cora asked, and the brunette winced, guilt etched into her features.  
  
"I fucked up," Regina blurted out, earning herself a sharp glare from her mother, a language warning on the tip of her tongue.  
  
"Go on," the woman said instead, pursing her lips.  
  
"I said something shitty to Emma, and really hurt her. She jumped down from my window to get away from me, and went back next door," she explained, feeling more tears well up in her eyes.  
  
"Regina, what did you say?" Mary Margaret asked, her tone bordering on dangerous. Regina jumped backwards a little, afraid she would be shouted at.  
  
"We argued because she said I was a mommy's girl." Regina

paused, flushing. She didn't dare look at her mother, embarrassment consuming her. "And then I told her that 'at least I had a mother'," she finished, tears rolling down her cheeks again as an image of Emma's hurt face floated into her mind.  
  
"Oh Regina," Cora said softly, exhaling deeply. She curled an arm round her daughter and pulled her in, hugging her tightly. Regina buried her head in her mother's shoulder, and let herself cry.

Shoulders shaking, soft sobs echoed around the room, reverberating off the walls. The four adults' hearts ached for the girl as tears streaked down her face.

  
"What do I do now?" Regina choked out, her throat constricting. She couldn't explain why Emma's hurt had destroyed her so much; it wasn't like they were friends or even acquaintances. There was just something about the blonde's pained expression, tears welling up in her eyes, that went straight through to her heart, cutting her like a knife.  
  
"Apologise," Cora said simply, pulling back to place her hands on her daughter's shoulders. She looked her in the eye and frowned softly.  
  
"B-But she won't want to t-talk to me," Regina stammered, hastily wiping her tears; she hadn't meant to display so much vulnerability in front of Mary Margaret and David, even though she'd known them for years.  
  
"You could text or call her first?" Mary Margaret suggested. "I'll give you her number now," she added, pulling out her phone. She scrolled through her contacts, then handed Regina her phone so she could copy it into her own contacts.  
  
"Thank you," the brunette said, blushing. "I'll go now." She swiftly left the living room and rushed up the stairs, already typing out a text to Emma. 

* * *

Emma heard her phone ping from where it was buried under her pillow next to her, and she fumbled around to pull it out. She squinted at the screen, her vision still blurry from her tears.  
  
It was an unknown number. Swiping the screen open, she opened her messages. As soon as she read the message, she felt a wave of sadness roll over her; it was Regina. The message was simple, and consisted of only two words:  
  
_It's Regina._

Emma's brow furrowed, wondering what exactly the girl wanted her to say in return. Anxiously chewing her bottom lip, she tapped out a response with shaking hands. 

  
_What do you want?_

She didn't want Regina to think she wasn't angry, because she was, but she was more upset than frustrated about what was said. Though she knew now, after going over the conversation meticulously with a fine-toothed comb, that Regina didn't mean what she had said, it hurt nonetheless.  
  
The small bubble popped up, showing that Regina was typing. Emma let her phone fall back into her bed, out of her hand, as she sighed heavily. Minutes later, her text alert sounded once more.  
  
Propping herself up on one elbow, she opened the message and scanned her eyes over it.  
  
_I'm sorry, I really am. I didn't mean what I said, I swear, and I feel awful that I even thought it. It was totally unfair of me, and I should never have made a comment like that. I got unnecessarily annoyed over nothing, and took it out on you. It wasn't my intention at all, I swear. Please forgive me._ _  
_  
Tears pricked at Emma's eyes as she read the message, and she wanted to forgive Regina, she really did, but there was something inside her that didn't allow it. It held her back, like a barrier, telling her not to forgive the girl. Conflicted, the blonde scrubbed a hand over her face. Perhaps it was best if she didn't reply.  
  
Just as she shoved her phone back under her pillow, it rang, the ringtone blaring out into the silent room. Grumbling under her breath, she pulled it back out and accepted the call.  
  
"Hello?" She asked, her voice thick and hoarse from crying.  
  
"Emma," Regina breathed, obviously surprised that she'd picked the phone up.  
  
"Regina." Emma instantly hardened her voice till her tone was cold and clipped, all the while pursing her lips.  
  
"Emma, I-I'm sorry— Please, I—" the girl began, her tone desperate, and breathing erratic. It was clear she'd also been crying. Knowing that somehow made Emma feel a little better, but the thought also made her feel guilty inside.  
  
"Not now, Regina," she interrupted, blowing out a forceful breath.  
  
"No, please, let me apologise." The brunette was determined, Emma gave her that, but she really wasn't in the mood to hear some half-assed apology justifying as to why she had said what she said.  
  
"No, Regina. Goodbye," she snapped, promptly hanging up the phone. A sudden wave of anger crashed through her body, and she threw her phone against the wall, relishing in the audible crack it made before bouncing onto the floor.  
  
She drew her knees into her chest and rocked herself gently, curling tightly into a ball. Silent tears dripped down her cheeks, her stomach twisting with each breath she took.  
  
_Fuck,_ it hurt. It hurt _way_ more than it should. 

* * *

Regina cried out in frustration, pacing in her room angrily. The feeling lasted all of two seconds before she sank down onto her bedroom carpet, dropping her head into her hands.  
  
Someone - her mother, she presumed - knocked gingerly at her door. "Regina?" The voice, definitely her mother, called.  
  
"Come in," she replied, picking herself up and dragging herself over to the bed.  
  
Her mother entered, her eyes softening when she saw Regina sitting, small and vulnerable on her bed. "Oh baby, don't worry, it'll get better," she cooed softly, drawing her daughter in for a hug.  
  
"Mother, she hates me," Regina sobbed, turning into her mother.  
  
"No, baby, she doesn't. She's just upset; she'll come around," Cora assured, rubbing soothing circles on her back.  
  
"What if she doesn't?" The brunette looked up at her mother through blurry eyes, and the woman's heart broke for her daughter. She hadn't seen her this upset for a long time, not since—  
  
"She will, Regina. Why don't I ask Mary Margaret if you can go and talk to her in person?" Cora suggested, knowing that while difficult, face-to-face communication was the best way of sorting things out.  
  
"Okay," Regina agreed, willing to do almost anything to stop the hurt she felt coursing through her veins. What baffled her, was why she was so upset. It was only Emma; a girl she didn't know, a girl she wasn't friends with. So why did she feel so goddamn distraught? And why did she want nothing more in this moment than to gain Emma’s forgiveness?  
  
She had nothing to lose, so why did it bother her that she had unintentionally hurt Emma?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry? It gets better, I promise!
> 
> I hope you enjoyed! Kudos/comments are much appreciated :)


	6. The Fixing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!

Regina stood nervously on Mary Margaret's porch, nibbling anxiously on her bottom lip. Her stomach twisted and tumbled with each shaky breath she took, guilt pricking at her skin. Combing a hand through her now mussed dark hair, she waited for the woman to open the door.  
  
Seconds later, it swung open, revealing Mary Margaret dressed in loose joggers and a baggy shirt - definitely David's. "Oh Regina, hello," she greeted, eyebrows raising.   
  
"Is it okay that I've come over?" Regina asked, not wanting to intrude. She frowned softly, feeling her anxiety eat away at her gut. All she cared about was reconciling with Emma, that was all. Even if the blonde never acknowledged her again, she just wanted her to accept her apology.   
  
"Yes, it's fine, but Emma is asleep," Mary Margaret told the girl, grimacing slightly. The way Regina's face fell caused sympathy to shoot through her, and she felt a pang of sadness for what the girl must be feeling. "You can come in though, and perhaps we could talk."   
  
"Sure, but about what?" Regina asked, stepping into the warm house when Mary Margaret opened the door wider to invite her inside.   
  
"About Emma, of course," the small brunette said matter-of-factly, leading her into the living room. "Do you want anything?"   
  
"No thank you," Regina said awkwardly, following the woman. Despite normally feeling totally comfortable around Mary Margaret - she'd known her for too long not to be - the brunette felt overly nervous about the conversation to come. Perhaps it was because it concerned Emma, who the woman in front of her had become extremely protective of.   
  
"Okay, do sit down," the petite woman told her, sinking down into one of the plush armchairs. Regina took the  armchair diagonally across , and tried to get comfortable. Her nerves got the better of her, and she shifted continuously, her leg bouncing up and down steadily.   
  
Mary Margaret watched the girl she'd grown to love fidget anxiously, her eyes constantly darting around the room, flicking anywhere and everywhere. Finally, she sighed and broke the silence. "Regina, calm down. I haven't seen you like this in ages; what's going on?"   
  
The brunette hesitated, wondering whether to share. "You know you can talk to me about anything, Regina. You've become something of a daughter to me over the years, so I'd like for you to tell me what's wrong," Mary Margaret prompted, smiling softly.   
  
"It's just... the whole thing with Emma, I guess," Regina confessed, avoiding eye contact. "I don't know why, but I feel so destroyed about hurting her, I just need her to accept my apology. I just..." she trailed off, gasping back the tears that threatened to fall.   
  
"Oh honey, come here," Mary Margaret opened her arms to the girl, who stood and walked over on shaky legs. The woman rose too, and the pair embraced tightly, Regina resting her head on the pixie-haired brunette's shoulder. After a few beats, they broke apart.   
  
"Listen, Regina. I may not know much about Emma, but I do know that she won't forgive you straight away. It'll take a while, but for her, this was a betrayal. It's true that you weren't really friends, but it's also true that for Emma, comments like those really sting. It's going to be a case of earning her trust, and showing her you really are sorry. She's probably used to half-assed apologies that aren't at all genuine, which is probably what she's expecting from you. You have to show her that you do care, and that this isn't some silly argument," Mary Margaret explained, placing her hands firmly on Regina's shoulders.   
  
"But I've only just met her. I know nothing about her, and we weren't even friends in the first place," the smaller brunette pointed out, her mouth turned down in a frown.   
  
"You're right, but this is also a great chance to earn her friendship as well as forgiveness - if you want to, of course.”

  
"Yes, I'd like that," Regina admitted gently, smiling gratefully at the woman opposite her. "Thank you so much Mary."   
  
"Not a problem honey," Mary Margaret replied, her grey eyes twinkling like sparkling silver.   
  
A creak in the floorboards by the door caused Regina to spin round, and Mary Margaret to look up. Emma stood there dumbly, hair messy from sleep, eyes drooping.   
  
"Emma, are you okay?" The petite woman asked, stepping away from Regina and towards the blonde.   
  
As soon as Emma caught sight of Regina, her eyes flew wide open, and she recoiled. A stab of pain sliced through the brunette, hurt tearing through her at the idea that even the sight of her had caused the blonde to recoil now.   
  
"What's she doing here?" She asked from the doorway, her nose wrinkled slightly. In truth, Emma was happy to see Regina, but the brunette didn't look to good herself; her eyes were red and puffy, her normally perfect makeup was running and smudged, and her styled hair was mussed and messy. She looked vulnerable.   
  
"Regina wanted to apologise in person," Mary Margaret told Emma, who immediately opened her mouth to speak.   
  
"I don't want to hear it," she said firmly, already retreating backwards, planning to head back upstairs. This was too much for her. She'd been here one day, and already it had become one of the most eventful days that she had experienced in her life.   
  
"Emma wait," Regina exclaimed, causing the blonde to pause mid-step. The brunette stepped forward, a pleading look painted on her face.   
  
"What?" The taller girl asked, returning to her place in the doorway, her body tense. She was ready to bolt if she needed to, one foot placed backwards slightly.   
  
"Let me just say this, without interruption," Regina began, looking at Emma till the blonde nodded silently, watching her with intent and focus. "I'm sorry, I truly am. I didn't mean to hurt you, and I hope never to do it again. I know you won't forgive me now,  so I'm going to show you that I really do care, you'll see. I'd like to be friends, so I'm going to do my best to earn your forgiveness and friendship. However, if you never want to talk to me again, I'll understand," the brunette said, her voice full of regret and remorse.   
  
Emma was infinitely thankful for the apology; it brought tears to her eyes. The fact that the brunette was willing to try and earn her forgiveness was touching, and quite possibly the nicest thing someone had ever said about her. She was worth it. Well, to Regina anyway.   
  
Trying - and failing - to keep her voice smooth, she said, "thank you very much, I appreciate it."   
  
Regina gave a small nod, and offered Emma a tentative smile. It was returned, albeit shyly, but it was returned nonetheless. The sight caused a warm feeling to spread throughout her body; it was a foreign experience for her.   
  
"I should be off. Mother will wonder where I am," Regina said, turning and smiling at Mary Margaret.   
  
"Okay honey, see you soon," she said, gladly accepting the gentle feathery kiss that was placed on her cheek in farewell.   
  
And after saying a quick, awkward goodbye to Emma, Regina was gone, leaving a content woman and a thoughtful  teenager behind.

* * *

"So what's going on between you two then?" Ruby asked eagerly, leaning forward. Emma let out a soft groan and rubbed her eyes, stifling a yawn. It was the day after her argument with Regina, and what had happened was clearly taking a toll on her.

After the brunette had left the house, she hadn't slept a wink, her mind occupied over what exactly the girl had meant when she said she was going to "earn her forgiveness and friendship". So far, she'd heard nothing from Regina, and it was already lunchtime. Deep down, she knew better than to get her hopes up; who was she kidding? Regina probably hated her. Perhaps the brunette had been lying when she’d made that seemingly heartfelt speech, wanting to please Mary Margaret?  
  
But then Emma cast her mind back to the distraught expression painted on the girl's face and dismissed the idea from her mind. No, this was genuine. At least, she hoped it was. Regina had appeared too upset by what happened to be faking it - Emma knew what fake sorrow looked like for it was all she’d ever gotten in her life from everyone she had thought cared about her.

Her next lesson was English, with Regina. Emma desperately hoped that something, anything, would happen between them; even just a smile would make her happy. For some reason, the brunette made her smile more than anyone ever had, despite the fact they barely knew each other. It had been just two days since they'd met and already Emma was falling fast.  
  
There was just something about Regina that captivated her like no one else ever had. She was confident and cold on the outside, fitting in with her Queen Bee persona, though Emma knew that on the inside, the girl was as human as the rest of them. From the raw emotions she'd displayed the previous night, it was clear that she had a heart of gold behind all those walls. Emma just hoped she'd be privy to that pure heart at some point, be it tomorrow or in years to come.   
  
"Emma?" Ruby waved her hands wildly in front of the blonde’s face, snapping her fingers indignantly as she did so. Emma startled, jerking backwards, her hand flying to her chest in shock.   
  
"God, Ruby, you scared me.” The girl let out a long breath to calm herself. “What were you saying?"   
  
"I've been practically shouting your name for five minutes! Are you okay?" Ruby removed herself from Emma’s personal space and relaxed again on the bench. She lifted her ham roll up to her mouth and bit into it, humming appreciatively at the flavoursome taste.

"Yes yes, I'm fine, I was just thinking," Emma explained, her eyes soft and apologetic. She hadn’t meant to space out; the thought of Regina was just too captivating that she couldn’t help it.  
  
"About Regina?" The lanky brunette prompted, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.   
  
"Um, well..." the blonde trailed off, red rushing to her cheeks. "Yeah," she finished, rubbing the back of her neck sheepishly.   
  
"Oooh," the girl opposite her winked. "So you never told me what happened last night apart from 'oh my god Ruby it was horrible'," Ruby imitated, gesticulating with her hands as she did so.   
  
"Well, it was," Emma defended, frowning.   
  
"So spill!" The brunette demanded, causing the blonde to jump in her seat a little bit.   
  
"We argued and I climbed out of her window," Emma began, thinking back to the unexplainable hurt she'd felt after what Regina had said. "And then she tried to call me to apologise, but I didn't listen, so she came round to Mary Margaret's and told me she was going to earn my forgiveness and friendship," she explained, her voice getting quieter as she spoke, her mind leaving the canteen and travelling once again to the previous night.   
  
"Oh my god," Ruby said after a few moments of silence, clearly shocked. "God, that's probably the nicest thing Regina has ever said from the sounds of it. She’s never normally like this; I wonder what’s gotten into her." Emma just hummed noncommittally. "I wonder what'll happen!"   
  
"Me too; I have English with her next so maybe something will happen then?" The blonde said hopefully, desperately praying it would.   
  
"You must tell me if it does!" Ruby exclaimed, practically buzzing with excitement.   
  
"I will," Emma promised. The bell rang abruptly, the noise loud and shrill. The pair rose from their seats, and the blonde found she was shaking slightly with nerves. It would be her first time seeing Regina since the previous night. She didn't have high hopes for the girl's apology, or whatever she was trying to do; she was a bitch at school, and surely she wouldn't want to tarnish her reputation for a stupid nobody like Emma. _Well, we'll see,_ the blonde thought as she parted ways with Ruby and walked briskly to her English classroom.

* * *

Emma took her seat at the back of the classroom, dumping her bag on the floor next to her. She could see Regina sat two seats in front of her, head twisted to the side as she talked with Kathryn, her best friend. The blonde felt a small pang of jealousy flare up inside her, but she pushed it away hastily. There was no point wishing for things that would never happen.

Regina had ignored her since she walked through the classroom door, not even glancing her way. Emma was starting to rethink her previous statement that what the girl had said was genuine. She should have known better than to hope like this. _You stupid girl,_ the blonde thought bitterly, scolding herself. _This is why you’re not meant to fall for straight girls; they just break your heart. You know what happened back in Boston._

As her thoughts spiraled down, lower and lower, Emma became more and more angry with herself. How could she have let this happen? _From now on,_ she vowed, _I’m not going to get involved with Regina at all. No thinking about her, talking to her or looking at her._

But then, to her complete and utter surprise, the brunette swung her head round to look at her and shot her an award-winning smile, her pearly white teeth winking at her from behind those luscious red lips.

Emma’s previous vow was thrown straight out of the window as she shot a small smile back, her stomach flipping with nerves. Regina had just smiled at her. _Smiled,_ at _her._ The blonde’s day was instantly made a hundred times better, her mind replaying the smile over and over. Unfortunately, the class began, forcing the brunette to turn round to face the front of the room.

Fixing her attention on Mr Williams at the front, Emma made an effort to pay attention to what was going on. As usual, her mind strayed from the present to a certain girl sitting two seats in front of her. However, the teacher’s next words brought her out of her reverie.

“I’m setting you all a project, which will be completed in partners. You each have to plan a disco, complete with food, music, a dress code and decor. The best one will be chosen, and the plan will be turned into a real disco, taking place in the gym,” he explained, his eyes bright and twinkling; he’d always been a rather excitable person. People round the room ooh’d and ahh’d, clearly at least a little excited at the prospect of the project. Despite everyone being sixteen, the idea of winning something appealed to most.

“Do we get to choose our partners?” Someone shouted out from the back corner of the room. Mr Williams swung his head round to look at the girl, wrinkling his nose to fight off a sneeze.

“No, I’ll be choosing names out of a hat,” he said, producing a black top hat from behind his desk, the names written on small slips of paper rustling as he shook it.

“But sir--” the girl began, the words drawn out and her voice whiny.

“Silence,” the teacher snapped. “No complaints. I will now assign you your partners. You have two weeks for this; the disco will be on September 20.” The man shook the hat once more, jostling the paper inside.

Emma watch him intently, a small bud of hope blooming inside her; perhaps she’d be paired with Regina? She doubted it, but there was no harm in hoping she figured. She was still hurt from last night, but she was finding it extremely difficult to stay annoyed. She felt inexplicably drawn to the brunette, like a magnet, and she couldn’t control it. Strangely, she almost wanted to stay angry, but her feelings wouldn’t let her. _Feelings you should be getting over,_ Emma’s inner voice added with an accusing whisper.

“Killian and Robin,” Mr Williams called out, naming the first pair. Luckily for them, they were good friends, so they turned to each other and swapped quick high fives. Emma rolled her eyes, wondering if she’d be lucky enough to get the partner she desired.

“Kathryn and Marian,” he read out next, glancing up at the class. Kathryn shot Regina a sad glance, clearly gutted she hadn’t been paired with her. Regina returned the look, and Emma felt a small wave of jealousy wash over her once again. She wished that the brunette also wanted to be with her, but obviously it would never happen - Regina was way too good for her, and _way out of her league_ her mind reminded her.

Mr Williams continued to read names out, until there were only four of them left; Emma, Regina, Astrid and Nova. It was clear that Astrid and Nova were desperate to be paired together; the blonde was pretty sure there was something a little more than friendship going on between them, if the sultry smirks and flirtatious glances meant anything.

She held her breath as the teacher reached into the hat and pulled out a name. “Emma,” he read, smiling at her from the front of the room. She supplied a tight smile in return, masking the fact that her insides were like jelly. Regina hadn’t looked at her since the start of the lesson, and the blonde wondered what she thought about them possibly being paired together. “And here we have…” the man pulled out another slip of paper and unfolded it. “Ah, Regina,” he read.

Emma let out a shocked breath, akin to a gasp. Heads turned to look at her, and she caught Belle’s smirk from the front row. She quickly shook her head as if to say “nothing here”, and everyone turned away. Regina didn’t look at her. Her heart started beating wildly in her chest, the sound deafening her in the otherwise silent classroom.

“Regina, please go and sit with Emma,” Mr Williams said, and Emma saw the girl nod and pick up her things. As she stood and turned round, she shot the blonde a warm smile, and all of Emma’s doubts seemed to fade away. _Perhaps she doesn’t mind working with me,_ she mused hopefully.

Regina silently took a seat next to her, and they both watched as Astrid and Nova squealed a little too excitedly about being paired together. The man at the front of the class then told them to begin gathering ideas for their project, so Emma turned to look at the girl next to her, hoping she’d talk first. She caught the brunette staring at her intensely, a strange look in her eyes that Emma couldn’t figure out. _I guess I’m making the first move then,_ she thought with an internal grimace.

“Hi,” she said softly, breaking the silence between them. Regina seemed to snap out of some kind of daze, and she blinked rapidly, staring at Emma through her thick lashes.

“Hello,” she said in return, a small smile playing at her lips. “I hope you don’t mind us working together,” she added, her brows furrowing for a split second before her expression turned impassive, as if waiting for rejection.

“I don’t mind,” Emma surprised her by saying, watching carefully as Regina relaxed, her shoulders dropping down from their tensed position.

“Great, so before we start, I have something for you. I told you I would show you I cared, and, well, I’m starting with this,” Regina explained, earning an adorable nose scrunch from Emma, her head tilting the side. The blonde looked at her in confusion until a paper bag was produced from Regina’s bag. “For you,” she said, extending it towards the blonde.

Emma took it and opened it, peering inside curiously. When she saw what it was, her face lit up; it was a pastry. Regina was looking at her anxiously, clearly worried that she wouldn’t like it. “And you thought you could win be over by buying me food?” The blonde joked, one corner of her lips curving upwards in a smirk.

Regina didn’t notice the smirk, or detect the tease in the blonde’s voice, and she paled a little, her brown eyes widening. “N-No, I didn’t think that. I just-- I was trying to-- Never mind,” she stumbled out, flushing deep pink. Her hands flew to her face as she covered it, shame filling her. _What was I thinking? Now Emma thinks I haven’t put any effort into earning her forgiveness. What have I done?_

Emma watched Regina’s internal struggle with a severe frown on her face; what was going on? She had only been joking. _Oh. Regina didn’t realise._ As soon as it clicked, her expression switched from one of utter confusion to one of concern.

“Regina, that’s not what I meant. I was joking,” she explained, wishing the brunette would remove her hands from her face. She wanted to be able to see her.

“I’m sorry,” the girl next to her whispered, seemingly not hearing Emma’s explanation.

“Regina, look at me,” the blonde said softly. Regina shook her head adamantly and moaned through her hands, unable to muster up the courage to look at Emma. God, what was she going to do? “Regina,” Emma said firmly. “Look at me,” she commanded, her tone insistent but gentle.

Reluctantly, the brunette lifted her head, staring up her Emma through tear-blurred eyes. _Fuck,_ the blonde thought. The sight made her want to wrap the brunette up tightly in her arms and protect her from the world. “Regina, listen to me. I was joking. I appreciate the pastry very much, and I can’t wait to have it. Please don’t be sad; it makes me sad.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really,” Emma told her, smiling kindly. Regina shot her a small, hopeful smile in return and looked down at her hands.

“I made it,” she said quietly. The taller girl looked at her, baffled. “I made the pastry,” she repeated. A smile broke out on Emma’s face.

“Oh my god! Do you like to cook?” The tension was already fading, and so was Emma’s resentment. Yes, the words had really hurt her, but everyone made mistakes, including Regina. So, Emma let go. She decided to forgive the brunette right then and there.

“Yes, I love to cook,” Regina confessed, glad for the change of topic. Looking at Emma, a smile painted her face, her golden hair tumbling down her back, she couldn’t be happier.

* * *

Emma clicked on her phone and wondered for the millionth time whether to text Regina. She had an excuse - the project - so why couldn't she muster up the courage? The remainder of the lesson they'd had together had been really great, and the blonde thought they had really bonded. It turned out they got along really well, both agreeing on the themes for their disco plan.

Opening up the messages app, Emma’s thumb hovered over Regina’s name. She clicked on it, and was taken to their previous conversation - the one that had consisted of just three texts. She clicked the message bar and watched the keyboard pop up, wondering what she could say that wouldn't sound strange.  
  
Finally, after much deliberation, she settled for a simple "hey", figuring the conversation would take off from there if Regina replied. Already feeling impatient, she dropped her phone next to her and flipped onto her back, gazing up at the white ceiling. How was she this desperate for a reply? Since when did she become so needy?

Thinking back to Regina’s gorgeous smile, and the way her eyes lit up when she smiled, Emma sighed in content and let her eyes slip shut, her lack of sleep from the night before finally catching up with her.

* * *

It was already 7:15PM when Regina arrived home from Robin’s football practice; she felt obliged to attend. Dating the quarterback came with its accompanying roles, meaning the brunette was forced to go to most of her boyfriend’s games and practices, cheering along as the game progressed. If she was honest with herself - she rarely was these days - she would have confessed that she secretly hated the noise and wildness of the soccer games; she would much prefer to be at home reading, or practicing her sketching.

However, being Queen Bee, she wasn’t allowed to like any of those things publicly. At home, she was a totally different person to the girl she was at school. Her horrible nature didn’t come naturally; it was put on to protect herself, to stop herself from being the victim. She knew the things she said were mean, and most of the time the words had to be forced from her mouth, always leaving a guilty sting in her mouth once they had been set free.

Regina dropped her bag by the front door, making a mental note to pick it up later, and trudged through to her mother’s study. After Robin’s game - where she’d been shouted at for ‘not cheering for him enough’, she was in a decidedly foul mood. The brunette knew Robin wasn’t good for her, yet she stayed with him for two reasons. One, she felt a need to have someone, anyone, by her side, especially after what Daniel had said to her, and two, it was socially unacceptable for her, being at the top of the hierarchy at her school, to be single. It just wasn’t something that could happen, no matter how free she knew she’d feel.

Muttering incoherently under her breath, Regina knocked on the door to the study and waited to hear the voice of her mother, approving her entry. Sure enough, the gravelly voice called for her to come in, and she entered the room.

“Ah, Regina, you’re back. How was Robin’s game?” Cora asked sweetly, though she couldn’t help the slight wrinkle of her nose and curl of her lip as she spoke her daughter’s boyfriend’s name. It always left a bad taste in her mouth.

“It was… fine,” Regina said, unable to help the slight pause before her confirmation that everything went okay. She didn’t want to tell her mother; she knew she didn’t exactly approve of Robin, and it would only give her another reason to pitch why she should break up with him.

“Are you sure honey? It doesn’t sound like it was okay,” she pointed out, looking up from her laptop and pursing her lips. Cora was concerned about her daughter’s relationship with this _Robin_ boy; she had a feeling that he didn’t treat her as well as he should. But no matter times she tried to persuade Regina to break things off with him, this was the one and only thing the brunette would not listen to her mother about. It was frustrating. Cora was almost sure that Regina herself knew that her relationship with the boy wasn’t as healthy as it could have been.

“Yes, it was fine,” the girl insisted, forcing a smile to appease her mother. Cora narrowed her eyes, seeing right through the facade. She said nothing though, knowing she couldn’t fight her daughter on this one.

“So how did things go with Emma?” Regina’s mother inquired curiously, wondering if the girl’s had fixed their problems yet.

At the mention of the blonde girl, the brunette’s face lit up, a real smile stretching across her lips, her eyes twinkling. “It was great! I gave her the bear claw I made, and she forgave me then and there. We were partnered for an English project; we have to organise a disco, and then the best one will be done for real. We’ve already got some great ideas,” Regina babbled excitedly, the words flowing from her mouth without control.

“It sounds wonderful, darling,” the woman said softly, a smile of her own playing at her lips. Now _this_ was happiness. The way her daughter smiled, like Emma was the sun and she was the moon; the way her eyes shone as though she was gazing at a sea of jewels. It was simply beautiful, and Cora thought for the hundredth time that day how annoying it was that Regina was still in the closet and in denial. The poor girl was clueless, and Cora wished she could just grab the brunette by the shoulders and shake her.

“It was! Can I invite her round tomorrow to continue with our project? We only have two weeks,” Regina asked hopefully, her voice high-pitched with excitement.

“Of course,” Cora replied immediately, willing to do almost anything to bring her daughter and Emma together. She hoped that Regina would realise on her own someday, preferably sooner rather than later.

“I’m going to text her now,” the brunette said, grinning and pulling her phone out of her pocket. As she stared at the screen, her face lit up even more, and her smile widened impossibly.

“What is it?” Cora asked, wondering what on earth had caused the change in expression.

“She texted me! Oh, three hours ago. _Shit;_ I didn’t reply. Oh god, what have I done?” One of Regina’s hands flew to her face, and she rubbed her forehead anxiously.

“Regina, calm down. Just reply now and tell her you were out,” her mother said calmly, finding her daughter’s sudden panic over something as simple as texting Emma rather amusing.

“Okay, I will,” the brunette agreed, swiping her phone open. “Bye mother, I’m going to my room,” she added as she turned to leave.

“Okay, honey, have you eaten?”

“Yes, I bought a salad at the diner,” Regina told her, pulling open the door.

“Okay, bye,” Cora told her, turning her attention back to her work. Regina stepped out and closed the door, the smile not leaving her face. She couldn’t wait to reply to Emma; hopefully they’d be able to have a small conversation now, even if it was only over text.

The pure joy she felt as she typed out a message was unlike anything she’d felt before, and it concerned her a little. What were these things that she was feeling? Did she need to be worried about them?

* * *

Emma stirred, her eyelids fluttering before they opened gently. She turned her head sideways, stretching out her neck, wincing at the popping noise that sounded as a result. It was dark outside - the only light coming from the dimly lit lamppost lining the street - which could mean only one thing; she had fallen asleep.

Ah yes, she remembered now. She had sent Regina a simple message, consisting of only one word. The blonde wondered if the girl had replied, and she suddenly scrambled for her phone, wondering where the hell it had gone.

Panicking suddenly when she couldn’t feel it, she jumped off her bed and began to yank the covers away, exposing the soft white sheets lining the mattress. Her eyes frantically searched her bed, then scanning the bedding now dumped on the floor.  
  
Emma spotted it, poking out of the bottom of where the comforter was strewn on the floor. Diving at it, she swooped it up in her hand and clicked it on, her eyes landing on her lock-screen.  
  
Yes! Regina had texted her — oh, only five minutes ago. Excitedly, she swiped across and unlocked her phone, hurriedly opened the message. Her eyes scanned over it as she read it.  
  
**Regina:** _Hi Emma, how are you? I'm sorry for the late reply; I was out x_ _  
_  
God, she put a kiss. A kiss. Emma let out a small squeal and grinned, delighted at the brunette's message, despite the simplicity of it. Thumbs moving rapidly across the screen, she typed out a reply.  
  
**Emma:** _Hey Regina, I'm okay thank you, yourself? Oh don't worry, it's no problem x_ _  
_  
Her heart beat wildly in her chest as she pressed the send button, already anticipating Regina's reply. Immediately, the typing bubble popped up at the bottom, causing Emma's heart to bang against her rib cage, fighting to be free.  
  
**Regina:** _I'm okay too. I was wondering if you wanted to come over tomorrow to continue our project? :) x_ __  
  
Emma's heart jumped in her chest, and she rushed to type a reply, a wide smile spreading across her face.  
  
**Emma:** Sure, I’d love to! I’ll come over after school? x

  
**Regina:** _Sounds great! :) xx_

 _Two kisses!_ Emma said to herself, her thoughts punctuated with exclamation marks in her head. _What did I do to earn this? Regina is so goddamn wonderful._

* * *

"Reginaaaa, can we please take a break? We've been doing this for aaaages," Emma whined, rolling over onto her back on Regina's bed, her hair flopping over their work, which was spread out on the mattress.

"Emma, an hour is _not_ ages," the brunette pointed out with a roll of her eyes. "God, your hair is so long; get it off our work," she scolded, scooping the golden locks up and dropping them beside the array of papers and mood-boards. 

"Regina please," the blonde begged. She jutted out her bottom lip like a puppy and widened her eyes till the whole of her emerald iris’ were visible.

"Emma Swan, don't pull that face at me. I can't resist it," Regina told her, quickly covering her eyes with her hands so her eyes were hidden from the persuasive look.

"That's the point," Emma exclaimed as she reached over and began to pry the brunette’s hands from her eyes. The skin was soft beneath her calloused hands, and she paused for a moment, appreciating the moment. Her and Regina, getting on and having fun. Anyone looking in would never have guessed that the two girls had only been friends for a day.

The blonde had no problem in sliding her hands down Regina’s body till they reached her waist, tickling her gently. The girl shrieked and her hands flew from her eyes. Emma giggled and continued to jab her fingers into her sides, staring at her mockingly.

“Emma Swan,” Regina said between struggled breaths. “I demand you to let go of me,” she gasped out, wriggling underneath Emma’s hands. The blonde just grinned at her even more and swung a leg over the brunette’s waist, effectively trapping her beneath her.

“Ha,” she teased, relentless in her assault of the brunette’s waist.

“Emma, gods, please no,” Regina sobbed, tears of laughter falling from her eyes as she jerked around, attaching her hands to the blonde’s waist in an attempt to push her off.

Emma paused, and felt the brunette relax beneath her, thankful for the cease in attack. The blonde suddenly realised what an intimate position they were in; she could just lean in and-- _No,_ she scolded internally. _Regina has a boyfriend. She’s straight. She doesn’t love you. Wait, love?!_

“Emma?” The brunette’s husky voice pulled her from her thoughts, and she blinked rapidly down at the girl. “Could you, er…” she started, trailing off as she gestured to her body and then Emma’s.

Taking the hint, the blonde awkwardly swung her leg off the girl and shifted on the bed next to her, tucking her legs to the side. Regina cleared her throat awkwardly and sat up, licking her lips as she did so.

"Fine, we can take five minutes out," Regina allowed reluctantly, nearly stacking the papers and shifting them to the side. She crossed her legs and watched curiously as Emma wriggled around, trying to get comfortable. "Emma what are you doing?"  
  
"Trying to get comfy, what does it look like?" The blonde grumbled sarcastically, though her slight smirk indicated the face she was teasing.   
  
After a few moments more, Emma found a comfortable position, lying on her side, one leg bent awkwardly to the side, the other tucked underneath her. It looked thoroughly uncomfortable.   
  
"Are you okay there?" Regina asked, trying to make sense of the strange pose.   
  
"I'm comfortable," the blonde stated simply, no room for argument, and so the brunette left it, letting her mind move on.   
  
"What's your favourite colour?" Emma blurted out suddenly, as though the words tumbled from her lips without permission.   
  
"Why do you ask?" Regina questioned, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.   
  
"I want to get to know you, that's all. Is that a crime?" The tall girl shot back, grinning. Thankfully, the momentary awkwardness seemed to have dissipated, and the relaxed atmosphere was back.

"No, I guess not," Regina said thoughtfully, scrubbing a hand quickly over her face. She paused, before saying, “purple," softly.  
  
"Nice. Mine is yellow," Emma said with a cheeky grin. "Favourite food?"   
  
"What is this, an interrogation?" The brunette asked, a little self-consciously. Why is Emma asking me all these questions? Is there something wrong with me? Is she gathering information?   
  
"Regina, no," the blonde reassured, seeing the genuinely worry on her new friend's face. "I just want to get to know my friend better; I told you this."   
  
"Friend?" The petite girl echoed, her tone one of disbelief. She drew her knees to her chest and hugged them tightly.   
  
"Yes," Emma confirmed cautiously, starting to doubt herself; what if Regina didn't actually want to be friends? "Is that a problem?"   
  
"N-No, not at all," the brunette hurried to assure, her cheeks flushing pink. What's happening to me? Why the hell am I so flustered? "I just didn't think you'd call us friends so soon," she confessed, glancing down shyly.   
  
Emma jumped out of her awkwardly comfortable position and scooted towards the blushing girl. She reached out and tentatively cupped her cheek, stroking her thumb soothingly back and forth over her high cheekbones. "Of course I consider us friends," she said softly, not wanting to break the mood with a loud-spoken sentence.   
  
"I just... After what I did..." Regina didn't look up, only shook her head so her hair fell over her face like a curtain.   
  
"That's in the past. We've moved past that. We've turned over a new leaf," Emma insisted, moving her hand down to hook a finger under the brunette's chin. She pushed it up gently, encouraging the girl to lift her head. "Please look at me," she whispered, not daring to move her hand. She knew that if she did, they'd both realise what an intimate position they were in.   
  
After a few moments of silence, Regina raised her head, staring at Emma through her thick dark lashes. "Hi," she said, her voice hushed, so quiet that the blonde had to strain to hear it.   
  
"Hey." Emma smiled kindly at her, before realising she was still touching the girl’s chin, supporting it gently. She retracted her hand rapidly, suddenly hyper aware of exactly where her hand met Regina’s smooth chin. As she knew she would, she felt the loss keenly, her fingers now cold.

The brunette stared at Emma, drinking in the way her eyes sparkled in the light of the sun beaming in through the open window; the way the sun bounced off her golden hair, illuminating it like a silhouette. She couldn’t deny it, the girl was simply breathtaking. _But that’s all it is,_ Regina assured herself as doubts began to creep into her mind. _She’s gorgeous, and I’m merely appreciating that. We’re friends now, and friends do that… right?_

“Do you want to have lunch with me tomorrow?” Regina asked, the words tumbling from her mouth before she could think about what she was really asking. But, seeing the way Emma’s face lit up like a thousand candles, and the elated smile that spread across her lips, she didn’t regret the question at all.

“Sure, I’d love to,” the blonde said, trying to fight the urge to grab the brunette by the shoulder’s and pull her in for a tight hug.

“Great.” The petite girl captured her bottom lip between her teeth and nibbled softly, unaware of the effect it was having on the girl sitting opposite her.

Emma watched her dreamily, her mind wandering to a place in which her and Regina were dating, pressing kisses to her cheeks and taking her on dates. _Maybe in another life,_ she secretly hoped.

“We should continue with our project,” Regina pointed out, moving to spread the papers back out on her bed. The blonde sighed, and with a small roll of her eyes, shifted around so she could see the papers. Oh, what she would give to just spend time with Regina without distraction.

* * *

“So you’re ditching Belle and I to go hang with Regina?” Ruby asked, feigning offence. But through the phone, Emma couldn’t see the teasing twinkle in her eyes, and assumed she was genuinely upset.

“Ruby, I’m sorry-- I don’t have to,” the blonde rushed to say, not wanting to lose the first friend she made at Storybrooke High.

The lanky brunette let out a tinkly laugh and grinned into the phone. “Emma honey, I was just--”

“Oi, who you calling ‘honey’?!” Emma listened in amusement as her friend was cut off by Belle, her Australian accent thick as she yelled.

“Yeah Ruby, who are you calling ‘honey’?” She chimed in, imitating the auburn-haired girl’s accent.

“It’s only Emma, baby,” Ruby called back, rolling her eyes into the phone. She secretly liked Belle’s jealous side; it made her feel wanted.

“Hmmm,” the Australian said, feigning disbelief. Emma laughed as she heard footsteps through the phone, followed by Belle’s voice, closer by now. “If you want to have lunch with Regina, go for it. We both know how much you like her,” she said, her tone cheeky.

“I don’t!” The blonde denied, smacking a hand to her forehead; _am I really that obvious? I thought I was discreet!_

“Oh babe, you’re anything but discreet,” Ruby pointed out, and Emma realised that she must have been thinking out loud; brilliant.

“Fine, I like her. A lot. It’s never going to happen though, so don’t get any ideas into your heads you too,” she warned.

“We won’t,” the couple said in unison, voices too sickeningly sweet to be telling the truth. The blonde heard straight through their pretence, but said nothing, finding it rather sweet, if she was honest.

“Fine, whatever,” she dismissed with a small laugh. “I’ve got to go for dinner; I’ll see you two lovebirds tomorrow. Don’t get up to anything too naughty, will ya? Keep it PG.” They all erupted in giggles, and from the deliberate silence that followed, Emma knew exactly what those girls were going to be up to once she’d hung up.

“No promises! Bye babe.” Ruby blew a kiss into the phone, then promptly hung up before turning to Belle and smashing her lips onto hers.

* * *

Regina led Emma into the lunch hall, their hands loosely connected. The brunette had grabbed it while they were walking, merely smiling at the surprised look on the blonde’s face at the unexpected contact. The taller girl had no idea what to make of it; why had the brunette taken her hand like that? They were just friends; Emma had accepted that, and now didn’t expect anything more, ever.

The petite girl had no idea what had possessed her to lace her hand with her friend’s like that. It had been a split second decision she had just gone with, telling herself that that’s what friends did. They did though, didn’t they? She knew girls who had touchy relationships with their best friends; like Tina and Kathryn. They were very intimate with each other, but were only friends. Well, from what she knew, they were.

Regina had no idea what Robin would think of her new friendship with Emma. He had always insisted on ‘vetting’ her friends first to make sure they were ‘suitable’ for her, but she was fed up of it. The boy was controlling, she knew that. Yet, she couldn’t afford to let him go. She wouldn’t keep him, to prove Daniel wrong. She couldn’t let him get to her like this. _Ugh, fuck._

“Regina, are you okay? You’re glaring daggers at the lunch hall,” Emma said, concern filling her eyes. The girl had spaced out all of a sudden, her face contorting into a frown.

With a small jerk of her head, the brunette snapped out of her trance, and turned to the blonde. The sight of Emma’s anxious expression, her insides turned warm, and a fuzzy feeling spread through her body. Why had she never felt these things before? Perhaps they were the feelings of gaining a new friend? Who knew? Certainly not her. She dismissed the thoughts quickly, focusing her attention back on Emma.

“Hmm? Oh yes, I’m just fine,” she assured, pulling her forward by their still connected hands. “Come on, let’s go introduce to you my friends.”

Emma hesitated, tugging Regina back a little. “What if they don’t like me?” A blush rose to her cheeks as the brunette turned back to look at her, and she dropped her gaze to the floor self-consciously.

“Emma, no,” the girl said immediately, not waiting a second before she stepped back towards the blonde. “They’ll love you,” she insisted, taking both Emma’s calloused hands in her soft ones. “I promise,” she added, her voice barely audible over the buzz of the lunch room.

“Okay,” the blonde said, trusting Regina’s words of encouragement. They both turned round to see eyes on them everywhere. Hundreds of sets of eyes were fixed on the two girls, shocked at what they were seeing. Regina Mills being kind? Showing affection? Smiling so warmly? It was unheard of.

The brunette realised right there and then that her persona as a cold-hearted bitch now had to be scrapped. If this had happened last week, she’d have been furious, but somehow, with Emma by her side, she didn’t care in the slightest. She used to strike fear into the hearts of her fellow students with one simple look, so for them to see her acting like this was a real shock.

“There’s nothing to see here, so get back to eating,” she snapped, and most complied immediately, which - she had to admit - pleased her. No one was questioning her yet, which was good. The only two pairs of eyes that remained on the two girls were Kathryn and Tina’s, who were staring unashamedly as if they’d seen a ghost.

Emma stood, confused as to what had just happened until she felt a small tug on her hand. Regina was now leading her over to her friends, and the blonde felt anticipation stir in her gut. She was nervous, but the brunette’s kind words earlier had calmed her a little.

They reached the table occupied by the two blondes, and Regina took a seat, pulling Emma down with her. The new girl sat quietly, waiting for the brunette to introduce her. “This is Emma, my new next door neighbour,” she said, smiling genuinely at her two old friends.

“Are you being nice to her because you have to or because you want to?” Tina asked bluntly, staring at Emma who had her eyes trained on the table. The girl was surprised at the other girl’s clear disregard for the fact she could hear the conversation.

“Because I want to,” Regina said firmly, glaring at the New Zealander. “You two better be nice to her,” she warned. Emma glanced up at the brunette’s harsh tone, surprised that the girl had stuck up for her.

Tina and Kathryn both stared at the pair, watching how their friend shot the new girl a reassuring smile, her eyes speaking volumes. Both reaching the same conclusion at the same time, they exchanged a glance and shared a knowing wink. “So Regina,” Kathryn began slyly, “how did you two meet?”

To the girls’ further shock, both Regina and Emma flushed at the mention of their first meeting. “We, uh, had a run-in in the corridor,” the brunette said, hating to be reminded of the way she had treated the blonde that morning.

“Oh, I see. You were a bitch to her, weren’t you?” Tina asked, grinning.

“Yes, I was,” Regina confessed, bowing her head in shame.

“But she wasn’t the only one,” Emma piped up. “I wasn’t nice either.”

Kathryn and Tina looked at each other in excitement when the girls opposite them shared another shy smile. It was abundantly clear that they both liked each other. The two blondes’ had long suspected that Regina was gay, but had never had any solid proof, only speculation. Now, there was the perfect proof right in front of them; the way she looked at Emma was way too friendly for their relationship to be considered platonic.

“Ooh, tell us everything,” Tina prompted, leaning forward and placing her elbows on the table eagerly. Regina flushed before beginning her tale from the very beginning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The calm before the storm?
> 
> I hope you enjoyed! Kudos/comments are much appreciated :)


	7. The Hurting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!
> 
> TW: mild violence & homophobic slurs.

Tears streaming down her face, Regina recoiled backwards, her hand flying up to cup her burning cheek. Robin glared daggers at her as he advanced towards her, eyes ablaze, a low growl emanating from his lips. The brunette cowered backwards, her bottom lip trembling.

“Please Robin, we’re just friends,” she said desperately, extending her hands in front of her in a placating gesture.

“Oh really?” He snarled, raising his fist angrily. “I saw you holding hands, you dyke,” he spat.

“I’m not gay!” She screamed, her back slamming into the lockers in attempt to run from her boyfriend’s impending punch.

“But she is,” the boy sneered, smashing his fist into her cheekbone, grinning as Regina stumbled sideways, fear filling her eyes. She fell to the floor with a cry and curled up into a tight ball.

“W-What?” The brunette whispered, confusion filling her eyes.

“Didn’t you know? The girl’s a dyke,” he mocked, his stormy eyes full of hatred.

“Don’t call her that, please,” Regina pleaded, thick juicy tears rolling down her red cheeks.

“I’ll call her whatever the fuck I want to.” Robin swung his leg back and kicked his girlfriend hard in the ribs. “She’s a--”

“ _ Get the fuck away from her, _ ” came a seething voice from beside Robin. He whirled round to see Emma, emerald eyes ablaze, her expression thunderous. The blonde charged forwards before she could think about what she was doing, grabbing the boy by the collar of his shirt. She slammed him into the wall and kneed him in the groin, relishing in the pained groan that spilled from his lips.

“Emma, stop,” Regina shouted, using the lockers to pull herself up. Ignoring the thudding pain in her ribs, she hobbled over to where her friend was pounding Robin’s face with her fist, seemingly unable to stop.

His nose was surely broken by now, for there was blood everywhere. Yet Emma continued, overcome by rage. “DON’T EVER TOUCH HER AGAIN!” She screamed, punching him one last time before she let him go, watching him slump to the ground, thoroughly knocked out.

The blonde turned to Regina, her face ashen. She stared down at her hands, her eyes fixed on the blood dripping down them. When she raised her head to look at the brunette, her eyes were wide and wild, and she looked shocked. “I-I don’t… I don’t know what came over me,” she whispered, her voice painfully quiet. “I’m so sorry, Regina. Will you let me take you home? And then I’ll leave. I understand if you don’t want me anymore, that was totally out of order. But I was just so angry that he hurt you, you know? Please let me take you home though, I can’t leave you like this. I swear I’ll--”

“Emma, stop,” Regina said firmly, cutting off the blonde’s anxious rambling. The girl fell silent and started furiously biting her lip. “Of course I still want you. Let’s go,” she said softly, grabbing Emma’s bloody hand.

And, both shaking with shock, they left the school and stumbled home.

* * *

“Regina honey, what happened to you? And oh gods, Emma sweetheart, what happened?” Cora exclaimed as the two girls traipsed into the kitchen. The spoon that was in her hand clattered to the floor as she rushed over to her daughter and ran her hands over her, eyes full of worry. She then turned to the blonde, and did the same.

“I argued with Robin and he hit me,” the brunette started, her eyes welling up with tears at the memory of his furious expression.

“And I stepped in when I saw what was going on,” Emma added, looking down at her hands sheepishly.

“How come you were there Emma? It’s 5 o’clock. Robin’s soccer practise finished at 4:30, and there was no reason for you to be there,” Cora wondered aloud.

“I was trying to find Regina to ask her about our project, and Ruby told me that she was at the soccer practise. I guess I got there too late,” she said, ashamed. “I’m sorry Regina.” The blonde’s voice was sincere as she turned to her friend, salty liquid dripping down her cheeks.

“No Emma, it’s not your fault,” the brunette said firmly, enveloping Emma in a tight hug. Grateful, the blonde wrapped her arms around Regina’s waist and buried her face in her tanned neck.

Knowing that the girls needed a moment alone, Cora slipped silently from the kitchen, pulling out her phone to call Mary Margaret. And tomorrow, she was going to have a  _ serious  _ chat with Mr Locksley, the little shit. She was  _ fuming  _ about what had happened. How  _ dare  _ he hurt her daughter like that? Oh he was in for some serious punishment.

* * *

After Mary Margaret had come and taken Emma home, frantic worry, Cora had sat down with Regina and gone through exactly what had happened, making sure she had the story exactly right so she could give Robin an appropriate punishment.

Once done, the brunette had trudged up to her room and buried herself under a heap of blankets, wishing she was beside Emma. The blonde made her feel safe, secure, protected, and that was what she wanted. She just wanted to cuddle up with Emma and forget about the troubles of the world.

Feeling these new things made her slightly anxious, but she put it down to a normal thing, associated with friendship. Tina and Kathryn cuddled; she’d seen them spooning together loads, and when she’d asked about it, they’d told her they were just friends. Conveniently, her mind seemed to skip over the part where the two girls had shared a knowing wink and a sneaky kiss.

Zelena, being the cheeky devil she was, knew this was the perfect opportunity to plant some seeds in her sister’s mind. She pushed the door open and crept in, drinking in the image of her sister, curled up in a tight ball. From what the redhead could gather, Regina was more upset about the fact Emma wasn’t with her than the fact she’d argued with Robin.

Now, Zelena was mad with Robin - of  _ course _ she was. He’d hurt her little sister, and she would never forgive the fucker for that, but looking past that, this was an ideal time to place a few thoughts into the brunette’s mind and subtly - more like bluntly - suggest a few things.

“Regina, are you okay?” The older girl asked softly, taking a seat on the edge of the large bed. Her sister poked her head out from under the comforter and pushed herself up into a sitting position.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Regina said quietly, sniffing.

“How’s your face?”

“It’ll heal,” the girl said, shrugging. She was more worried about Emma if she was honest, not herself. It was her own stupidity coming back to bite her; she’d always known Robin was a controlling dick, yet she’d done nothing. Technically, she’d brought it upon herself - she’d known he would blow up over her new friendship coming. It was just a bomb waiting to drop, and it did. She was just glad that he had gotten exactly what he deserved.

“Good,” Zelena said, a small smirk playing at her lips. “So I’ve been thinking,” she began. Regina cocked her head, her curiosity piqued. “About you and Emma,” the older girl finished.

“What about us?” The brunette asked suspiciously.

“Don’t you think that this is the perfect time to snatch her up?” Zelena said slyly, watching carefully for her sister’s reaction.

“What? Snatch her up? What do you mean?” Regina asked, scrunching her nose in confusion.

“Well, now that you’re obviously not with Robin, isn’t this the perfect time to take her so no one else does?”

“Y-You mean, date her?” The brunette spluttered, almost choking on her own saliva.

“Yeah,” the redhead confirmed.

“I’m straight, sis,” Regina said with a roll of her eyes.

“Are you serious? You’re gay as fuck, Reggie,” Zelena pointed out, rolling her eyes at her sister’s denseness. This was getting ridiculous. How could Regina  _ not see it? _

“I’m straight,” the brunette insisted, mouth set in a firm line.

“Right, sure,” Zelena agreed, her tone obviously suggesting she did anything but agreed with the younger girl. “Well, if you won’t go for her, then I will.” She said the words quietly but slyly, smirking triumphantly when Regina’s eyes widened like saucers.

“You wouldn’t,” Regina said, though she found it hard to believer her own words. Zelena always spoke the truth, and nothing but the truth, so deep down she knew her sister’s words were the truth.

“Oh, I would. She’s extremely attractive, and I’m sure she’d be very receptive to my advances,” Zelena said, smiling oh so sweetly.

“She’s not even gay,” the brunette said, her mind skipping over the moment where Robin had told her that Emma was indeed, a lesbian (well, he didn’t exactly use that word, but the implication was the same).

“D’ya wanna bet?” The redhead laughed, and stood up, stalking proudly towards the door.

“Don’t you dare,” Regina warned, feeling anger bubble in her gut. She felt herself begin to get inexplicably frustrated, hating the thought of her sister dating Emma.

“Oh, I can guarantee you that I’ll get her, sis,” Zelena promised with a wink. Seeing her younger sister’s obvious jealousy at her words, she decided to just drop one more bomb. “Oh, and Reggie, don’t you think that if you didn’t really like Emma, then you wouldn’t be this jealous?”

“J-Jealous? I--”

Regina was cut off by the sound of her bedroom door clicking shut after her sister’s rather dramatic exit. She was left, staring at the back of the door, a baffled expression on her face.

* * *

Nineteen days later, Mr Williams’ English class sat, their breath held, as their slightly strange teacher began to speak. Emma and Regina sat beside each other, both hoping that they had won the competition. Their hands were laced loosely beneath the table, resting on the blonde’s thigh.

Regina, doing what she did best, had pushed away all thoughts of her supposed attraction to Emma. Zelena hadn’t made any significant moves as of yet; she’d merely flirted a little here and there. The blonde, much to her annoyance, had returned the flirty smiles and cheeky winks, but hadn’t mentioned anything to her. The brunette hoped nothing major would come of it, and her sister would forget sometime soon. Except, from what she knew of the redhead, she’d stick to her word, and snatch Emma up.

The two girls were firm friends - well, that’s what Regina would call it. To the onlookers (Ruby, Belle, Tina and Kathryn), they were basically dating. The constant small touches, reassuring each other that they were there; the shy loving smiles, shared when they thought no one was watching; the ‘innocent’ spooning and cuddling they partook in many an evening after school.

By now, Emma knew that her relationship was not platonic; it was anything but. The problem was, Regina didn’t know this. She, and the other four girls, knew that their relationship would be considered as a romantic one, but she said nothing. She would take anything she could get from the brunette, platonic or romantic.

It hurt to have Regina in the way she did, but not really  _ have  _ her. The only thing missing in their relationship was the sexual intimacy - kisses, not-so-innocent touches, and all those wonderful things that often came with a relationship. However, Emma was happy to settle for the current relationship she had with the girl, somewhere between platonic and romantic.

They’d even been on dates - nights spent at each other’s houses and late walks in the park at midnight certainly counted - and the four girls watching this happen were getting frustrated. They just wanted the two girls to kiss already; it was tiring just  _ watching  _ it; they couldn’t even begin to imagine what it must be like for Emma.

So, latching onto anything she was given, the blonde gladly held Regina’s hand under the table, knowing that this was probably all she’d ever get.

“Welcome class, I hope you’re all excited!” The teacher began, his voice rather overexcited compared to the situation. “Today I’ll be revealing the winner of the disco design competition. The disco will be held in two days, so you better get your outfits ready!”

“Just tell us already!” A girl called impatiently from the back, already fed up with the theatrics of it all.

“Okay, okay,” Mr Williams said, his voice a little flustered. Being the dramatic man he was, he whipped out a fancy white envelope, which obviously contained the winners of the challenge. “The winners are-- drumroll please!”

The class, obliging with his requesting, began to slap their hands against the table, creating a rather deafening noise. The man opened up the envelope and pulled out a piece of card. “Silence!” He demanded, raising a hand to stop the drumroll. “The winners are… Emma Swan and Regina Mills!” He announced, his lips stretching into a beaming smile.

The two girls’ jaws dropped to the ground in shock, before wide smiles took over their faces. They turned to each other and embraced in a tight, totally un-platonic way. Regina buried her head in Emma’s neck and inhaled vanilla and cinnamon, relishing in the overwhelming warmth that washed over her.

As they broke apart, the brunette pressed a kiss to the blonde’s cheek, lingering for a beat more than was necessary. Emma flushed as Regina pulled away, and they shared one of those shy smiles they reserved for each other, and for each other only.

“Congratulations, you two!” Mr Williams said, grinning at the display of ‘friendship’ between the two girls. Oh he wasn’t clueless either; he could see the clear love between the two girls, and he was so happy that they were together (he actually thought they were dating).

“Thank you,” Regina said gratefully, the first one to recover her voice. The teacher’s voice tapered off in her mind as she turned her head to stare at Emma, who looked positively angelic as she beamed at the class.

And then the blonde was turning to her, dimples adorable, eyes twinkling. She leaned into the brunette till her mouth was just beside her ear. “Will you go to the disco with me?” She asked softly, lips brushing against the shell of the brunette’s ear.

A small shiver ran down Regina’s spine as she felt hot breath ghost over the side of her face. Emma pulled away and smiled widely at her, and she just melted. “Of course,” she accepted gracefully, inclining her head elegantly.

* * *

Emma paced about her room, fighting the urge to run her hands through her hair like she always did. The reason she couldn’t was the fancy up-do it was pulled up into; Mary Margaret had kindly curled it, and had pinned it up on her head, with curly tendrils framing her face loosely.

She looked gorgeous, with her makeup done lightly by Mary Margaret again; the woman was a pure genius. The woman had dusted her cheeks with a light pink shimmer and had done the same to her eyes but with a soft brown colour instead. Emma had insisted on having natural makeup as she simply didn’t feel comfortable walking around with her face all made up. A thin coat of mascara had been applied, along with a sheer pink lipgloss.   
  
To go along with the girls’ black and white theme of the disco, Mary Margaret had provided Emma with a short white dress - a sleek piece of fabric, which did wonders for her body, pinching in tightly at the waist and then falling to just above her knees. She looked like a goddess in the soft dress; anyone would be star-struck at the sight.   
  
Emma was stressed to high heavens; she wanted to look perfect for Regina, since they were attending the disco together. Thanks to her new mother, she looked perfect, and she knew she did, but there was always the chance of something going wrong. She just hoped to god it didn’t. Everything had to be perfect tonight.   
  


* * *

  
Trying not to throw up, Regina also paced her bedroom, anxiously wringing her hands. To match with Emma’s white dress (they’d decided who would wear what colour a while ago), she was clad in a tight black dress that stopped just shy of her knees. The neckline was low, dipping down just enough to show off a modest amount of cleavage. It was enough to give people a taste, but also left a lot to imagination.   
  
Zelena, being the expert in  hair and cosmetics that she was, had offered to style the raven locks, and apply some makeup. Once the redhead had finished, Regina’s hair was curled softly, falling down her back in gentle waves, resting on her shoulders. Her makeup was darker, and more dramatic; smokey eyeshadow and deep red lipstick made her features pop, and added that extra finishing touch to her look.   
  
Regina knew she was hot; she’d been told so many times before, and she wasn’t blind to the fact she was attractive. However, for Emma, she wanted to look faultless. She couldn’t explain it - like with most things these days - but she felt an overwhelming need to look her absolute best, better than she’d ever looked. This was important. And she was determined to have the perfect night.   
  
Being the Queen Bee of Storybrooke High, she’d always put a lot of effort into her appearance, making sure she looked presentable, and the best that she could in all situations. But ever since Emma had come into the picture, suddenly she wanted to try harder, look nicer, look better than her best. She wanted to impress her and earn her respect and friendship. And she had no plan on using the friendship later on to be nasty, like she’d done before.   
  
Emma was one of the most accepting - possibly the most - people she’d ever met, and she knew she didn’t have to try her hardest to always look perfect. Regina knew that the blonde would accept her regardless of what she looked like, whether that was perfect, or like a goddamn mess. The brunette knew that she’d be welcomed into open arms, yet she still wanted to impress her new friend. As usual, it was unexplainable.   
  
_ Ugh, this sucks, _ Regina mused as she began to consider not even going to the disco. I have to go; I can’t let Emma down. Knowing that Zelena would be able to lift her spirits, she headed to her door, glancing at the clock as she went passed her nightstand. 6:15PM. She had to be there for 6:45 to make sure everything was set up right for the start at 7PM.   
  
Great, she had just enough time to coax a pep talk out of her sister before she left.   
  


* * *

  
Zelena grinned at herself in the mirror as she checked her hair was curled to perfection. Whilst she knew that Emma would never love her (and she didn’t love Emma either), she had to look her best. She was meant to be seducing the blonde, as part of the plan Mary Margaret and Cora had concocted.   
  
So far, it was going well. Emma was subtly returning her flirtatious glances and soft smiles, and, as planned, Regina was getting jealous. As usual, she seemed to be pushing it away and ignoring it, which wasn’t helpful. The brunette was very good at pushing things away and “forgetting them”.   
  
Both Emma and Zelena had agreed they needed to step up their game if they wanted Regina to realise her obvious feelings for the blonde. Tonight, the plan was for the redhead to ask Emma for a dance, and get a little more handsy than socially acceptable. Hopefully then, Regina would really feel her jealously, and would think over it instead of burying it under piles of other thoughts.   
  
The bedroom door opened with a small creak, revealing a stressed-looking Regina in the doorway. “Zelena?” She stepped into her sister’s room and smiled gently, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. Her anxiety was written across her forehead, clear to anyone who so much as glanced at her.   
  
This wasn’t good. A nervous Regina equaled a clumsy, bumbling girl who was more likely to fuck things up.  _ I really need to get her calm, _ Zelena thought as she examined the brunette’s features a little more clearly, taking in the deep frown etched deep into her face.

“Regina, you look stressed,” the redhead said bluntly, taking in the defensive stance her sister immediately jumped into, hands folded in front of her, brows furrowed. “Calm down, I’m just saying,” she added, raising her hands in surrender.   
  
Regina sagged, letting out a long breath as her shoulders slumped. “I know, sorry. I’m just worried that I’ll fuck things up with Emma,” she confessed, chewing her bottom lip anxiously.   
  
“Hey, stop, you’ll have to reapply your lipstick,” Zelena pointed out, before realising that it had all come off long ago. Regina just stared at her silently, and waited for her to speak again. “Look, don’t worry about it. You know that the more worried you are, the more likely you’ll fuck it up. Just chill; you’re Regina, strong, confident, gorgeous and kind. You don’t need to impress Emma, and you know it.  She’d accept you if you wore a plastic bag, Reggie, and you know that. Chill,” the older girl said, placing one hand on each of her sister’s shoulders.   
  
She looked the brunette in the eye so the girl would know her words were the absolute truth, and they really were. The only thing Zelena hadn’t mentioned was the fact that Emma already loved her; Regina really didn’t need to worry about keeping the blonde’s friendship for she already had her heart.   
  
“Thanks sis, you’re so good at calming me down,” Regina said, smiling gratefully.   
  
“That’s what I’m here for.” The redhead extended her arms and enveloped her younger sister into a tight hug, as if protecting her from the cruel world.   


* * *

Zelena swiftly pulled Emma into her, snatching her away from Ruby and Belle to dance. They had agreed on the plan for her to “feel Emma up” a little, and the blonde had agreed to go along with it.

  
Neither girl actually minded pretending to like each other; they had both confessed that they found the other attractive, so it was no problem since the attraction they were playing up wasn’t pretend.   
  
The blonde pushed herself into the redhead and they shared a conspiratorial smile. Out of the corner or her eye, Zelena could see Regina watching them dance like a hawk, her brows drawn into a frown.   
  
“So, are you enjoying the disco?” Emma asked as they danced opposite each other. She moved her hands to older girl’s waist and rested them on her hips. Zelena welcomed the movement, in turn slinging her arms round the blonde’s neck.   
  
”Yeah, it’s great! You and Reggie planned it well,” the girl complemented, taking it as an opportunity to grin flirtatiously.   
  
“Thank you,” Emma accepted gratefully. “Is she watching us?” The both knew exactly who ‘she’ was, and the redhead cast a glance to her left to check on the brunette. Sure enough, she was staring daggers at her sister, surely trying to conjure fireballs in her hands to send flying her way.   
  
“She’s green, hon,” Zelena said with a smirk, suddenly spinning Emma round so her ass was pressed against her crotch.   
  
“Oh Zelena, you’re naughty,” Emma whispered as she threw her head back onto the girl’s shoulder, exposing her smooth creamy neck.   
  
“I know,” the girl murmured back, her lips brushing the shell of the blonde’s ear, hot breath ghosting over her skin.   
  
Zelena let her hands rest on Emma’s hips, holding them firmly as she pushed her crotch into the younger girl’s ass. The blonde let the redhead do so, and they gyrated along to the beat, bodies moving as one in a fluid motion.   
  
From across the room, Regina only felt an overwhelming sense of anger. It washed over her and settled, refusing to leave as she watched her - dare she say - best friend and sister grind against each other as they ‘danced’.   
  
How dare her sister lure Emma in like that? By now, the brunette had obviously figured out that her friend was at least bisexual, if not a lesbian. It didn’t bother her at all; her sister was gay, so she’d been brought up with it. It did, however, bother her that the redhead had seemingly seduced Emma, which had led to their totally inappropriate dance moves.   
  
If she dug down deep enough, she would have realised that she was craving to dance like that with Emma, but her own inner walls prevented her from seeing clearly. She didn’t know where it had come from - her parents and sister weren’t homophobic -  but she just had to be straight. Perhaps it was peer pressure and being socially accepted that had melded her into a straight girl, unable to wrap her head around being gay.   
  
Again, she had no problem with it, but for some reason she felt the need to conform to the norm, and be just like everyone else. Perhaps she felt life would be easier to be straight, though she didn’t know, for it wasn’t exactly something she ever thought about, let alone on a regular basis.   
  
So, why she was almost shaking was unknown to her, but she assumed it was the fact that Zelena was ‘stealing’ Emma away from her. Regina made up her mind to do something about it; she would go and ask the blonde to dance instead.   
  
Up until now, she’d wanted to, but had been too nervous about fucking things up. However, seeing the way her sister and friend were grinding up against each other on the dance-floor, she was determined to intervene.   
  
Setting her glass down on the nearest table with a clunk, she marched in the direction of where clusters of people were all dancing (gyrating) with each other to the songs played by the DJ.   
  
She reached the girls and tapped Emma’s arm impatiently, tapping her heeled foot almost anxiously on the floor. The blonde immediately raised her head from Zelena’s shoulder and broke away from her body.   
  
“Regina, hey! Are you okay?” The girl smiled brightly, and all anger at the fact she’d been grinding against her sister dissipated. Annoyingly.   
  
“Yes, I’m fine,” she dismissed, returning the smile. Zelena knew that her dance with Emma was over, and that it had certainly done its job. She moved onto dance with Mal, her best friend; the two girls began ‘dancing’ just as she had with Emma. “Would you like to dance?” Regina asked, swallowing the lump in her throat at the thought of rejection.   
  
“Sure!” The blonde agreed happily, and pulled the girl into her, her eyes lighting up and sparkling in the shining light of the disco ball.   


* * *

The girls were still dancing half an hour later when the inevitable slow song came on. Instead of jumping apart, horrified at the thought of dancing to a romantic song together, Regina just pulled Emma even closer and shifted into the usual ballroom dance pose, placing one had on the blonde’s shoulder, and taking the other in her left hand. Emma went with it, and took up the brunette’s other hand whilst resting her other one on the girl’s hip.

  
Around them, only couples seemed to be dancing, including Tina and Kathryn. Emma had long suspected that something more was going on between them, and from the way they were dancing, the closeness between them, the love in their eyes, it was clear that they were.   
  
Regina merely assumed they were friends dancing, which is why she thought it acceptable to be dancing the way she was with Emma. Surely that’s what friends did, right?  _ No, they don’t,  _ whispered a very quiet voice in the back of her mind, but it was one that she didn’t hear, for she had learned to block it out years ago.   
  
The two girls danced and twirled, moving around the dance floor as one. The disco ball was no longer casting its shimmery light around the room, and pale spotlights illuminated the dance floor.   
  
Couples all moved gracefully in the large space, many resting their heads against each other, enjoying the melodic peace of the song.   
  
Feeling a spurt of confidence, Emma leant in and rested her forehead against Regina’s, bringing their lips closer. Her eyelids fluttered shut, and she blocked out the everything else, the music included, and focused solely on the way the brunette’s breath whispered over her lips, sending shivers down her spine.   
  
Her stomach ached, a constant reminder of what she could have, but didn’t. She was almost sure - everyone else agreed - that Regina was in love with her too but she just didn’t see it. All the signs were there; the soft smiles sent when no one was looking; the habitual touches, reassuring her that she was by her side; the closeness and intimacy they shared, innocently spooning as though they were lovers, legs tangled.   
  
It was pure agony, to have Regina in her grasp, but not fully have her. She was clutching at her with her fingertips, unable to get a firm enough grip to really hold her there. Emma knew that the brunette could just decide one day that she didn’t want her anymore, and up and leave. The thought was a constant one, niggling away in the back of her mind.   
  
That’s why the blonde did anything and everything she could to please the girl. No matter how much hurt it caused her, she went along with the hugs and touches, glad to have Regina in any way that she could. What she did have was better than nothing. She didn’t want to the brunette to leave; she wanted to keep her forever.   
  
As Emma let her eyelids flicker open, she realised that Regina was staring at her, mocha orbs wide and intense. Unable to help herself, she let her gaze flick down to the brunette’s lips, becoming mesmerised by the scar that sliced into the flesh of the lip. Said lips were parted ever-so-lightly in what the blonde - perhaps stupidly - interpreted as awe.   
  
The taller girl gulped, unable to cope with way Regina was staring at her, as though she was the whole world and the sun. It was too much. Their lips we just inches apart. If she leaned forward a mere fraction, she could just—   
  
In a sudden moment of panic, Emma jumped backwards, sucking in a deep breath of air as she did so. One hand flew to her mouth, realising how rude it was to have just done that. Immediately, she opened her mouth to apologise to the girl in front of her who looked positively baffled. The brunette’s eyes were wide and nervous, and her brows were drawn into a confused frown.   
  
“Regina, I’m—“ she began, reaching a had out in front of her in a calming manner.   
  
She was, however, cut off by a certain someone stepping between them, facing Regina. Robin. Emma advanced forwards without hesitation and span him round, glaring fiercely at him.   
  
“What do you want?” She asked, already angry. The boy’s slight smirk only made her feel more uneasy than she already was. He was scum, and her opinion would never change.   
  
“I just want to talk to Regina,” he said, his tone suspiciously innocent.   
  
“I don’t think so,” Emma spat as she moved round to shield the petite girl from the idiot standing before her.   
  
“Emma, it’s okay,” Regina said softly, placing a calming hand on the girl’s arm, able to feel the negative energy flooding out of her her in waves.   
  
“But—“ the blonde began, her tone anxious, her body almost shaking.   
  
“I’ll talk to him,” the brunette said firmly, looking past Emma to stare icily at Robin, who was smirking triumphantly. She didn’t want to talk to him, not at all, but she just wanted to prevent the blonde from doing anything she’d regret (or not regret).   
  
She fully planned on walking away from her conversion with Robin, but she needed to get Emma away from him quickly so she didn’t blow him up just by glaring at him.   
  
“Okay,” the other girl said quietly, clearly a little put off at the firmness of her tone and the fact she was willing to speak to the boy who’d beaten her up.   
  
“Emma, I just—“   
  
“It’s fine. Go.” Emma turned on her heel and walked away, trying to keep a straight face. The unwavering firmness in Regina’s tone had shaken her, and she suddenly doubted herself. What if Regina was back with him? What if she was going to run back to him?   
  
Just thinking about it made her feel sick. Swallowing thickly, she pushed down the feeling and walked quickly to the bathroom, suddenly needing to get away from the stifling atmosphere of the gym.   


* * *

Regina stared after Emma, her mouth open from where she’d been cut off mid-speech. She longed to go after the blonde, to apologise for her tone, to reconcile. She just had to.   
  
Turning to Robin, she glared icily at him. “Get out of my sight,” she hissed, whirling round to leave and follow Emma to the bathroom.   
  
“I need to talk to you,” Robin said, reaching out a hand to stop her from leaving. The brunette snatched her arm away rapidly, desperate not to feel his heavy touch on her skin ever again.   
  
“Fuck off,” she growled as she stalked away, determined to find Emma to make up for her wrong.   
  
She left Robin behind, standing alone, slightly bewildered as couples danced and twirled around him.   


* * *

“So you got pretty chummy with Regina over there didn’t you?” Zelena asked, nudging Emma playfully. The blonde rolled her eyes and pushed the girl back, chuckling as she did so.

  
“Yeah, I guess,” she said, suddenly a little embarrassed. Her and Regina had come so close to kissing; her body ached for the brunette’s touch, for her lips to be on hers. She’d gotten a brief taste, given to her via a silky breath ghosting across her lips. He brunette’s touch seemed like an essential drug, and her body was beyond addicted.   
  
After entering the school bathroom, she had taken a few moments to collect herself, gazing critically at herself in the mirror. She left swiftly, and had been pounced on by a certain redhead who had noticed her and Regina’s intimate dance.   
  
“It’s hard,” Emma said suddenly, her stomach tightening at the mention of her struggle to keep her feelings for Regina hidden.   
  
“I can imagine,” Zelena said quietly, her voice taking on a gentle tone the blonde had never heard before. The fierce girl clearly was capable of being soft, and Emma found she liked it.   
  
“I just don’t really know how to cope with it. They’re all new feelings and I feel them so strongly and having to hide them is hard. All I want to do is let them show, let them run free, but I have to push them down so I don’t ruin my friendship with your sister.” The blonde sighed heavily, her mouth down turning into a small frown.   
  
“Look,” the older girl began, placing a comforting hand on Emma’s bicep, “I know I don’t know what you’re going through, but I’m here for you. Obviously I know what it’s like to be gay, but I’ve never had a problem like this before. If you want to talk, anywhere, anytime, call me. I’ll always be a shoulder for you to cry on if you want to,” Zelena said sincerely.   
  
Emma felt tears rush to her eyes as the girl spoke. The redhead really was an angel. “Thank you so much Zee, I really appreciate it.” Making a split second decision, she leaned forwards and placed a soft, chaste kiss on the girl’s cheek, relishing in the silkiness of her skin beneath her lips.   
  
She lingered for a few seconds longer than necessary, in case Regina was watching somewhere. When she pulled away, Zelena was beaming at her, her eyes shining brightly. And she felt good.   


* * *

Regina rushed back into the hall after searching everywhere for Emma. She’d gone to the bathrooms, but had obviously been too late. She’d then looked in the corridors of the school to no avail. Finally, she came back into the gym to see if the blonde was in there.   
  
Scanning the room, she turned to her left, and what she saw made her eyes widen a considerable amount. Emma was kissing Zelena’s cheek. Emma was kissing Zelena. Emma was kissing her sister.   
  
The brunette recoiled at the sight, like she’d been pinched. However, she gathered herself quickly and told herself that it didn’t matter. She was just friends with Emma, so why should it matter if she wanted to kiss her sister? It didn’t, of course. It didn’t matter at all.   
  
Instead of going over and breaking them apart like she had done before, she decided to leave them, knowing she couldn’t always act like a jealous lover around her friend. It wasn’t fair on Emma, and it just wasn’t like her at all. She’d never been like this before, so why did she suddenly feel jealous? What was there to be jealous of?   


* * *

When, two weeks later, Zelena approached their table at lunch time like they’d planned, Emma smiled. This was a big turning point in their plan, and could either work well, or totally fail. They were both hoping for the former, but knowing their luck, it would probably end up failing.

  
The six girls - Emma, Regina, Ruby, Belle, Tina and Kathryn - all turned to look up at Zelena, who was standing confidently, hands on her hips. “Hey girls,” she said sweetly, winking flirtatiously at Emma, who smiled back, a cheeky glint in her eye.   
  
The details of the plan had been spilt to the four girls sitting at the table (everyone except Regina), and they all knew exactly what was coming too. That left the clueless brunette, staring confusedly up at her sister. “Zelena, what are you doing here?” She asked curiously, frowning a little. She rarely ever saw the older girl at school, and Zelena never seemed to make an effort to come and seek her out.   
  
“I came to ask Emma a question,” the redhead said slowly, biting her lip seductively. Regina’s eyes widened a little as her brain suddenly began whirring at a million miles per hour.   
  
“What’s the question?” Emma asked innocently, blinking slowly, eyelashes fluttering.   
  
“Would you like to come on a date with me?” The girl asked, grinning confidently. She obviously had nothing to fear; she knew Emma would accept her offer for that was the plan.   
  
Regina’s jaw dropped. She couldn’t believe her sister had just asked her friend out on a date. How dare she?   
  
“I’d love to,” Emma replied eagerly, before the angry brunette next to her could open her mouth to object.   
  
“Great. I’ll text you later,” the redhead said, turning on her heel and breezing away like leaves carried by the wind.   
  
“Emma!” Regina scolded from next to her, feeling rather overwhelmed. She was predominantly confused, and a little angry. Truthfully, she’d known that the two girls had a little something going on between them, but she’d had no idea it was this serious.   
  
“What?” The blonde asked, mildly affronted. The other four girls watched silently, all folding their breath. They had no idea what Regina was about to say, but it sure didn’t look too good.   
  
“You just agreed to a date with my sister,” she said factually, her voice flat.   
  
“Yes?” It was Emma’s turn to frown now, and she ran a hand through curly blonde hair.   
  
“You agreed to a date with my _ sister _ ,” she repeated.   
  
“What’s your point?”   
  
“I just...” Regina trailed off; she had no idea what to say. She was shocked, and hurt. She didn’t want Emma to leave her now that she had someone else. That was her fear. She knew she had to vocalise it, otherwise the blonde would badger her until she confessed anyways. “I don’t want you to leave me,” she admitted softly, her voice painfully small.   
  
“Regina, no.” Without hesitation, Emma grabbed the smaller girl’s hand and held it tightly in her own. She began to rub soothing circles over the soft skin, staring solely at the girl before her.   
  
Regina turned to look at her too, her gaze intense. When together in public, they often shut the rest of the world out. They weren’t sure why, but they did. They would focus on each other and each other alone, oblivious as to what was happening around them.   
  
Seeing that the two girls had entered that mindset, the four girls around them continued their previous conversations, knowing they wouldn’t be disturbing anything.   
  
As Emma gazed at Regina, still calming her, she felt love spread it’s way through her body, warming every inch of her as it went. Her crush was no longer a crush. She was completely and utterly in love with Regina, and there was no way she was ever going to stop.   
  
Once she’d realised this, every touch, intimate moment, subtle smile had become impossibly harder to cope with, for it caused her too much pain. Yet she went on with it for Regina’s sake, burying the dull ache that was constantly in the pit of her stomach when she was around the brunette.   
  
She was getting tired of having to pretend. It was too much.   


* * *

  
“It’s so hard, Zee, so hard. I don’t know if I can deal with it for much longer,” Emma explained, her expression pained. They were sat on Zelena’s bed talking after their “date”. They’d gone to the local diner, Granny’s, and just talked about anything and everything. Fake date or not, it had gone well.   
  
Regina was out with Kathryn when they’d gotten back, so the two girls had gone straight to Zelena’s room. The older girl had asked what it was like to love Regina, to have her but not really have her. Emma said it was fucking hard.   
  
“I can only imagine. Perhaps you should tell her,” the redhead mused, rapping her chin thoughtfully.   
  
“Are you insane? I can’t tell her. Ever. I’m not risking our friendship for some silly feelings,” the blonde exclaimed as though Zelena was mad. They both knew that her feelings were anything but silly, but the words went unsaid.   
  
“I know she feels the same,” the girl opposite said firmly, taking Emma’s hand in hers. She laced their fingers together tightly, and for a moment Emma didn’t feel that painful ache in her stomach.   
  
“I know she does too. At least, I’m pretty sure she does. But she’s in denial, and would reject me,” Emma pointed out, knowing it was the truth. They both did.   
  
“You’re right,” Zelena conceded. “But you should tell her at some point, even if it’s a while away,” she insisted.   
  
“I know.”   
  
“Does it still hurt?” The redhead looked concerned, and she shifted closer to Emma, placing her other hand comfortingly on her thigh.   
  
“It always hurts,” Emma confessed sadly, glancing down as she was once again reminded of the ever-present aching in her gut.   
  
Zelena hooked a finger under her chin and lifted her head, staring unblinkingly into emerald green eyes. Silently, she moved her hands up to cup Emma’s face, stroking her cheekbones as she inched closer.   
  
And then they were kissing.   
  
Rosy lips descended on paler ones, slipping together like caramel. Emma froze, shocked at the bold move Zelena had taken. But, strangely enough, the aching seemed to lessen ever so slightly, so she gave in and allowed herself this one small pleasure. She knew it was a sympathy kiss, but that was okay.   
  
Emma let herself return the kiss, leaning up on her knees to push herself closer to the redhead as a tongue slipped between her lips and into her mouth.   
  
“Emma?”   
  
The uncertain voice, so small, so tiny, that came from the doorway made the blonde freeze. She pushed Zelena away abruptly, without a second thought, and turned to see Regina standing on the threshold, her eyes wide and full of hurt.   
  
“Regina, I—“ she began, her words catching in her throat. She tried to swallow the lump she felt there but it wouldn’t go. The already small brunette looked even smaller standing there, shoulders hunched, eyes now downcast. “It’s not what it looks like,” she blurted out.   
  
Glancing across at Zelena, she saw the genuinely guilty look on her face and sighed. She’d really fucked up. This had not been part of the plan. Not at all.   
  
“You were kissing. I think it’s exactly what it looks like,” Regina snapped, whipping her head up. Her eyes were now ablaze and her body was rigid, ready for attack.   
  
“It was a mistake. It didn’t mean anything,” Emma tried, moving off the bed, towards Regina.   
  
“No, Emma, no. How could you?” Regina began backing away, shaking her head furiously.   
  
“Hang on a minute.” Emma paused, suddenly confused as to why her friend was so upset. They weren’t together, so what did it matter who she kissed? She could do what she liked. “Why are you even mad?”   
  
“She’s my sister!” Regina said angrily, though the slight waved in her tone suggested that she wasn’t quite convinced by her own argument.   
  
“And?” Emma asked, narrowing her eyes.   
  
“I don’t like you two together,” the brunette said icily, folding her arms defensively across her chest.   
  
“Guess what Regina, you don’t have to. It’s my love life, not yours. You don’t get to decide who I date,” Emma said raising her voice a little. Who was Regina to tell her what to do?   
  
“You’re a bitch, you know that, don’t you,” Regina hissed, not giving Emma a chance to reply before she spun on her heel and stalked from the room.   
  
As soon as she was gone, Emma turned to Zelena and burst into tears. Salty liquid rolled down her cheeks, the droplets thick and juicy. They came like a never-ending flood. “What have I done?”   
  
“It was my fault. I shouldn’t have kissed you,” the redhead said, ashamed. She was the cause of her sister and Emma’s falling out, and she wanted to make it right.   
  
“No, you shouldn’t have,” Emma said, sniffling. “But you did, so now what?” The last words were muffled by the sound of sobs wracking through her body, the noise ugly and strained.   
  
“I’ll talk to her, tell her it was my fault,” Zelena said determinedly.   
  
“Okay,” Emma agreed. She wouldn’t tell the girl not to, for she knew she wouldn’t listen to her. She was clearly set on fixing things, so who was she to stop her?

* * *

The following day, Regina stormed down the corridor, her mouth set in an angry thin line. She was livid, sending a sharp glare to anyone who dared to even glance at her. Her mood caused her to snap at people left and right, feeling nothing but pain and hurt coursing through her veins.

  
Her mind travelled back to what Zelena had said yesterday, after she’d stormed from her room.   


* * *

_ “Regina, you can’t take this out on Emma. It was my fault. I kissed her,” Zelena said desperately, pushing the brunette’s bedroom door open swiftly. _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “It’s both your faults. How could you do this to me?” The girl hissed, tears leaking from her eyes as she turned her head away from her sister’s line of sight. _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “I warned you I would make a move if you didn’t,” Zelena pointed out, folding her arms across her chest. _ _   
_   
_ “I didn’t think you actually would,” Regina cried, her voice cracking at the end. Pain washed in waves through her body, gripping her tightly, refusing to let go. All she could see was her sister’s lip-lock with her best friend. Her body shuddered at the memory. _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “Regina, please go and talk to Emma about it. Don’t do anything rash,” the redhead pleaded, knowing that the brunette was likely to get out of control when she was like this. It wouldn’t be surprising if she went and did something shocking, for her anger often consumed her till she couldn’t think straight. _ _   
_ _   
_ _ Zelena had never meant for anything like this to happen. It had been a harmless plan to try and make Regina jealous, not make her cry. Whilst it was true that she was angry because of her jealousy, she didn’t know that, which was what made it worse. _ _   
_ _   
_ _ The older girl sighed, her heart constricting in her chest. What had she done? She’d messed up everything. And all she could do was hope and pray that Regina didn’t go and do something stupid. _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “I make no guarantees,” the girl defied, her tone cold. “Now go.” The sigh that followed indicated to Zelena that her sister would not be talking any longer. _ _   
_ _   
_ _ Clenching and unclenching her fists, the redhead spun on her heel and left the room, clicking the door shut with a soft click on her way out. _ _   
_ _   
_ _ Regina buried her face into her pillow and let the tears roll onto it, soaking it through. Tomorrow, she would get Emma back for her betrayal, and she knew exactly how to do it. _

* * *

Her resolve strong in her mind, the brunette marched down the corridor towards the lockers, where she knew the person she was looking for would be.   
  
Robin.   
  
A small part of her wanted to forgive her friend; she knew that it wasn’t really Emma’s fault. But a twisted part of her wanted to punish her for what she did.   
  
She didn’t really know why she was so angry, but she could make a guess. It was her old insecurities playing up, telling her she wasn’t good enough, especially after Daniel. A shiver ran down her spine as she remembered the day her world had come crashing down around her.

* * *

_ Regina jogged up the stairs of Daniel’s house, on the way to his room. His mom had let her in, smiling warmly at the sight of her. The brunette loved Daniel’s parents; they were extremely kind to her. _ _   
_ _   
_ _ She’d had a hard day, and all she wanted to do was cuddle up with her boyfriend and watch a movie. Upon hearing what sounded suspiciously like a moan floating out from under his bedroom door, she froze. _ _   
_ _   
_ _ And it wasn’t just any moan. It was the moan of a girl. A girl that wasn’t her. Unless it was porn - which was unlikely, since Daniel had never been into that kind of stuff - Regina realised that perhaps he didn’t love her as much as he claimed to. _ _   
_ _   
_ _ Her body tensing, she stormed to his room and flung open the door, already seething. There, on the bed, was Daniel, naked, hovering over another girl. Tears sprang to the brunette’s eyes as she turned away impulsively. _ _   
_ _   
_ _ As soon as the boy realised he’d been caught, he grabbed the sheet and covered his dick, pushing the girl out of the bed as he did so. She ran to the en suite, her ass jiggling as she went. _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “Daniel. What is the meaning of this?” She asked coldly, horrified at what she’d seen. It was unbelievable. She couldn’t believe her boyfriend - her kind, loving boyfriend - had cheated on her. They were in love. How could this happen? _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “Isn’t it obvious?” He smirked, running a hand through his scruffy hair, ruffled from sex. _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “Why?” Was her only question, her voice cracking. She swallowed back tears; she didn’t want him to see her breaking inside. _ _   
_   
_ “I don’t love you,” he said, as though it was obvious. “You’re a bitch, Regina. You’ll never be able to keep a man, let alone get one, you whore,” he snarled, advancing towards her. _ _   
_ _   
_ _ Shocked, all the brunette could do was stand where she was, jaw hanging open. “Y-You don’t mean that,” she stammered, tears welling up in her eyes. _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “No one will ever want you. They’ll all leave in the end. They’ll never stay. You’re pathetic,” he hissed, chuckling to himself afterwards. The smug look on his face made Regina recoil, drawing up into herself as she stumbled backwards. _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “I thought you loved me,” she whispered, her insides shattering as Daniel scoffed. _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “Yeah, you thought. Big difference.” _ _   
_ _   
_ _ A sob escaped her lips, and she lifted her hands up to her mouth to stifle it. Before her ex boyfriend could hurl any more insults at her, she ran from the room, tears rolling down her cheeks. _ _   
_

* * *

That day had changed her life, and ever since, she’d always had a fear of losing people she cared for. His words ricocheted around in her mind, haunting her whenever she saw Emma and Zelena together. She was about to lose her. He was right. She couldn’t keep anyone, not even a friend.   
  
She reached the lockers, and saw Robin standing there with Killian and Arthur, talking.   
  
This was it. She was about commit a crime she would possibly never be able to make up for. This would lose her Emma forever, she knew it. But these thoughts, the rational thoughts, were drowned out by the overriding voice, pushing her to punish Emma and hurt her for what she did.   
  
Inside, she knew what she was about to do was in no way justifiable, but she had to. She had to make herself feel better, even if was only for a split second.   
  
Keeping this in mind, she stalked over to Robin, and grabbed him by his shirt collar, spinning him around to face her. Before he could get a word out, she smashed her lips onto his, growling low in her throat their lips mashed together in a messy kiss.   
  
Not questioning it, he kissed her back, pushing himself closer, slipping his hands round her waist. His kiss was rough, too rough, too controlling, but she ignored it, and tried to forget her pain, the pain that consumed her when she thought of what she was about to lose.   
  
As Robin bit down harshly on her bottom lip, she couldn’t help the moan that slipped from her lips. She hated herself for it, but she was unable to control herself.   
  
A sharp cry from behind forced her to tear herself away from her ex. She spun round and her gaze came to rest on Emma, who was standing there, shell-shocked at what she’d just seen.   
  
And suddenly the weight of what she’d done came crashing down around her. What had she done? What the fuck had she done? She’d ruined everything. From the devastated expression etched into Emma’s face, Regina knew she would never be able to fix this. This was unforgivable.   
  
“Regina...” Emma choked out, tears rolling down her cheeks, thick and fast. “W-What are you doing?”   
  
“What does it look like?” Her words reminded her of what Daniel had said to her, and it made her feel sick. Sick to her stomach. Tears of her own sprang to her eyes, threatening to fall. She squeezed them shut, willing them to stay back.   
  
“But you don’t like him. He hurt you,” Emma said, utterly confused. She couldn’t wrap her head around what she’d just seen. She knew for a fact that Regina hated Robin; she’d told her as such.   
  
“I’ve had a change of heart,” the brunette said with a forced smile. Inside, she was breaking, her heart shattering.   
  
“No, you don’t like him, I know you don’t,” Emma said firmly, trying to hold herself up. She wanted to sink to the floor and curl up into herself and never look at anyone ever again.   
  
“Why do you care so much?”   
  
This was it. Emma knew that this was the moment. She had to reveal her love.   
  
“Because I love you,” she whispered, all in one breath. And then she surged forwards and claimed Regina’s lips in a gentle kiss, cupping her face in her hands.   
  
The brunette didn’t move, didn’t reciprocate, only stood there, frozen. After a beat, she raised her hands and pushed Emma away from her, her eyes wide and shocked.   
  
The blonde’s face crumpled, and her shoulders sagged. She dropped her head to the floor and stared at the floor, shifting anxiously from foot to good. What had she done? She’d misjudged the situation, and now Regina probably hated her.   
  
She felt the fear bubble up inside her, clawing it’s way to the top. Her body tensed, as if protecting herself from whatever was to come. As usual, she was itching to flee, aching to run before Regina could say anything. This had been the biggest mistake of her life.   
  
“Emma, what the hell was that?!” Regina asked, still shocked.   
  
And then Emma snapped her head up, eyes wild and determined. No, she was going to be strong. She knew Regina loved her back. She knew it. She just had to stay strong for a few minutes longer, and then she could escape.   
  
“I love you,” the blonde repeated, her voice oddly steady. “And I know you love me too,” she added bravely.   
  
The look of disbelief on Regina’s face would have been funny if the situation wasn’t so delicate. “I’m straight,” she said, crossing her arms across her body.   
  
“Regina, don’t you see? We’re basically dating already. The smiles, the touches, the cuddles; friends don’t do that. Friends don’t look at each other like that,” Emma explained, fighting herself to stay strong and not break down like she wanted to.   
  
“But Tina and Kathryn do it too,” Regina protested, furrowing her brow.   
  
“They’re dating, Regina! Don’t you see?! You’re fucking oblivious! Everyone thinks we’re dating!” Emma exploded, her eyes catching fire, burning passionately.   
  
“BUT I’M STRAIGHT!” The brunette yelled, stepping backwards in denial. She couldn’t be gay. This was not happening.   
  
“NO YOU’RE NOT!” Emma screamed, baffled as to why Regina couldn’t see how fucking obvious it was. “I love you, I want you,” the blonde whispered. “Isn’t that enough?” She was exhausted, drained, tired, and she’d had enough. She wanted to run, and she knew she was about to unless Regina said something within the next five seconds.   
  
“But I don’t want you,” Regina said, her face expressionless, her tone flat.   
  
These were the dreaded words, the words that Emma had feared her whole life. They were the words that destroyed her.   
  
She broke.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oops?
> 
> I hope you enjoyed! Don't forget to drop a comment if you enjoyed it! :)


	8. The Running

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a lot shorter than all the others; it just worked that way!
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> TW: brief mention of suicide.

Regina watched, shocked, as Emma turned on her heel and fled the corridor, tears rolling down her cheeks. Shame filled her as she realised what she’d done, what she’d said. She knew she’d just made Emma’s biggest fear come true. She _knew_ that yet why had she done it? Because she was a bitch, that’s why.   
  
Tears of her own sprang forth, threatening to fall any second. Guilt consumed the girl, clawing painfully at her insides, crawling up her throat like a drowning girl trying to escape water.   
  
She swayed on her feet, reaching a hand out to steady herself. People who had watched the spectacle were silent and unmoving, unsure of what was going to happen next.   
  
Before Regina could comprehend what was really going on, four very angry girls came storming up to her. Ruby, ever the most blunt, stalked right up to the shocked brunette and slapped her round the face, the smack of skin against skin echoing through the silent corridor.   
  
A hand shot up to cup her cheek, the flesh stinging, turning red immediately. Regina looked up at Ruby with wide, unfocused eyes, her lips slightly parted in shock.   
  
“You, are a _bitch_ ,” she snarled, jabbing a finger into the smaller girl’s chest, leering at her menacingly. When Regina said nothing, only let out a quiet sob, Ruby glared at her fiercely. “Do you have anything to say? Or are you just going to stand there mutely?” She jibed, stepping back a little. The three girls behind her sent Regina hard glares too, almost vibrating with anger.   
  
“What have I done?” The brunette gasped out, hanging her head shamefully. When she brought it back up to look at her friends, tears were streaming down her cheeks like a waterfall.   
  
“You _broke_ her, Regina. You’ve really fucked up this time. Don’t you know what it’s been like for her? _All this time?_ ” Ruby hissed, her body shaking with fury.   
  
“Ever since you two met she’s loved you, and she’s held it in, letting you touch her and be intimate with her, even though it pained her to do so. She ignored it and smiled for you, cared for you, _loved_ you, whilst you clearly thought nothing of it. You’re practically dating, Regina. Everyone thinks you are,” Kathryn paused as everyone around them nodded in agreement. “You’ve put her through so much pain, and I know, _we_ know, that you love her too. She _knows_ you do. So for you to straight up tell her you don’t want her is fucking cruel. What the _hell_ were you thinking?” The blonde’s voice had raised to a shout by the end of her rant, and her cheeks had turned red from the sheer force of it.   
  
“I just— I don’t—“ Regina began, but she stopped, realising she really didn’t have an explanation for what she’d done.   
  
Her mind was whirring at a million miles per hour, trying desperately to process the fact that she loved Emma Swan. It made total sense, when she really thought about it. She thought back to the cuddles, touches and almost-kisses they’d shared since they’d been friends. It was painful to think of, knowing that she’d hurt Emma in such an unforgivable way.   
  
“I love her,” was all she whispered, her eyes still leaking, her tone distanced. Then she turned to her friends, and repeated her words, more firmly this time. “I love her.”   
  
“Yes, of course you do, you idiot,” Tina chimed in, rolling her eyes. “But now you’ve royally fucked up. And this might be something you two won’t ever get past,” she pointed out, grimacing at her own words.   
  
“What do I do?” Regina asked softly, trying to ignore the increasing pain in her gut. It was sharp and almost unbearable, piercing through her body violently.   
  
“You go and do your very best to apologise. Not that she’ll even listen,” Belle interjected, her usually cheery expression uncharacteristically flat.   
  
“I will, I will,” Regina mumbled, before turning and stumbling down the corridor. She hesitated; she had no idea where Emma was. Her best bet was at Mary Margaret’s, so that was where she decided to go.   
  
Pushing open doors hurriedly, she tore through the school and out of the entrance doors. She sprinted through the car park and down towards her house, hoping, praying, that Emma would be there and agree to listen to her. 

* * *

Knocking frantically on the grand, white door, Regina held her breath. She prayed that someone, anyone would answer. Oddly, Mary Margaret’s car was in the drive, meaning she obviously wasn’t teaching that day.

  
The curtains in Emma’s room were drawn, which must mean she was in there. It was unlikely that she would have left them closed in the morning.   
  
She chewed furiously on her bottom lip, leaving teeth marks in the plump flesh. I’m an attempt to calm her anxiety, she wrung her hands together, trying to control her breathing. Tear tracks were streamed down her cheeks, creating trenches in the layer of makeup she was wearing. She looked a mess, and she didn’t even care.   
  
All she cared about was fixing her stupid, stupid mistake. In all honesty, she doubted she’d ever be able to fix what she’d done. Even if they were eventually able to move past it, she knew that any chance she’d ever had with Emma was gone, snatched in an instant because of her stupidly.   
  
She had no excuse for what she’d done, and she wasn’t looking to make one. It was her anger, her frustration that had driven her to that point. And, despite her sister’s very wise warning, she had done something rash. Something unforgivable.   
  
At the painful thought of what had occurred only minutes before, tears once again rolled down her cheeks, damaging her perfect face even further.   
  
Just as she was about to give up and leave, the front door opened a fraction, revealing a slither of Mary Margaret’s face. It was thunderous.   
  
“Leave,” the woman said immediately, glaring sharply at Regina. The brunette tried to ignore the way the word stabbed into her like a knife; the woman was like a second mother to her, and hearing that from her hurt.   
  
Nevertheless, she pushed it to the side. “Please, I have to speak to Emma,” Regina said desperately, her eyes wide and pleading.   
  
“No. She doesn’t want to see you ever again,” Mary Margaret hissed. “You broke her heart, Regina. Now leave,” she jabbed her finger into the air, punctuating her harsh words.   
  
“I know I did, and I’m eternally sorry for that. Please, I have to at least say sorry to her face,” the petite girl begged, clasping her hands together in front of her, nails digging into the skin.   
  
“I don’t think that’s best.” Mary Margaret’s voice had lost its punch, but somehow the cold, emotionless way she spoke hurt even more. The way her eyes fell empty, and her tone became flat scared Regina.   
  
“I won’t give up. At least tell her that I’m going to do everything in my power to make things right,” the brunette said, well aware of what a mess she looked.   
  
With one last glance back at the stony-faced woman, Regina trudged down the path, and towards her own house. All she wanted to do was curl up and cry her eyes out.   
  
And it seemed like that was what she’d be doing. 

* * *

It was dark outside, pitch black even, not a single star shining in the sky, for the clouds streaked across the ink, blocking out all traces of light. Inside the Nolan’s, Emma lay in her bed, motionless, resting on her side.

  
She couldn’t remember the last time she’d eaten; earlier this week, she guessed. Her occasional sips of water had barely tided her over, forcing Mary Margaret to watch her while she drank, making sure she actually did.   
  
It was the first time in years she’d felt this kind of pain, this kind of heartbreak. The last had been when she was just five, the first time she’d ever been hit by a foster parent. But that pain then, the pain her tiny little heart had felt all those years ago was nothing compared to the relentless aching that now resided in her chest. She knew that if she could take her heart from her chest, she would. What a relief that would be.   
  
The words that had tumbled from Regina’s mouth, those five short words, had brought her world crashing down around her. They had been the words she’d feared hearing all her life. She should be used to it by now; they’d been said to her time and time again, however hearing them from someone she loved had just torn her to pieces.   
  
Whether the brunette had meant them or not, it didn’t matter to Emma. They’d been said, and that was that. No one said anything they didn’t mean, in her eyes. The depth of her love for Regina had hit her hard, as day after day she struggled to even think.   
  
Her body felt as if it had been filled to the brim with lead, and she couldn’t bring herself to move. Her mind was blank, constantly blank, apart from those five words replaying over and over like a broken record.   
  
Every day, Mary Margaret walked up the stairs and along the hall, into Emma’s room. It pained the woman to see the girl like this, for she loved her like her own. It broke her heart to see her daughter lying, unmoving, unseeing, in her bed. She didn’t force her up, didn’t force her to do anything, - whether she should have done, she did not know - only catered for her every need (admittedly there were none).   
  
Without fail, Regina showed up at the door in an attempt to apologise to Emma. Mary Margaret knew that the girl truly was devastated at what she’d done, and wasn’t looking too good herself.   
  
The dark bags beneath her eyes implied a prolonged lack of sleep, and the apparent weight loss pained the petite woman to see as well. Both girls were tearing themselves up about this, and it was spiralling out of control.   
  
Emma’s one and only request had been that she not see Regina, and Mary Margaret - no matter how much she wanted to let her in - had abided by that request. Each day, with a heavy heart, she regretfully turned the brunette away, watching guilty as her expression fell even more.   
  
Regina had also left Emma text’s, hundreds of texts, all apologising, saying something different. Voicemails - some calm, some angry, some distraught - were left, all listened to by the blonde. Mary Margaret didn’t know why Emma was torturing herself by listening to the sobbing, broken voice of the girl she loved over and over again.   
  
Silent tears dripped down pale cheeks as voicemail forty-seven was clicked off, that one particularly depressing.   
  
Even watching the pain of both Emma and Regina was causing Mary Margaret her own problems, sadness creeping into her life. David, ever the peacemaker, did his best to calm his wife down of an evening after a particularly hard day witnessing Emma’s depression.   
  
The whole thing was a mess, a chaos with no end, and no one knew when it would stop. 

* * *

There was one person that, after three weeks of relentless persistence, Emma agreed to see: Zelena. The redhead had argued tirelessly with Mary Margaret each day, until the blonde had told her mother to just let the older girl up.

Naturally, the petite brunette had been skeptical at first, but at Emma’s reassurance, she conceded. So now, the blonde was propped up in bed, sipping at a glass of water. She knew she didn’t look the best, if her almost grey skin and dangerously prominent collarbones were anything to go by, but at least she was up (kind of).  
  
A knock sounded at the door, and then before Emma could call out, Zelena was striding into the room, armed with a massive bar of chocolate. “God you look like shit,” she breathed out as soon as she lay eyes on the sick girl.   
  
“I know,” the blonde managed to croak out, her voice hoarse from disuse.   
  
“Possibly worse than Regina,” Zelena added, earning a small flinch from Emma at the same. A frown passed over the younger girl’s face as she let the words sink in.   
  
“Regina— wait what?” Surely the redhead hadn’t meant to say that? Why would Regina possibly be “bad” in any way, shape or form? Yes, she’d listened to the pained voicemails over and over again, but she didn’t realise what had happened was affecting the girl so heavily. Emma knew that she was sorry; it was said in every single message left, but she didn’t understand why she was apparently so “bad”. The blonde knew how bad she looked, so if she was only _possibly_ worse than Regina, how bad did that make the girl she loved?   
  
“To say she’s not going great would be an understatement. She doesn’t look dissimilar to you; she’s been in her bed for the past weeks as well. You’re both hurting so much,” Zelena explained carefully, watching as Emma’s expression crumbled, and a tear slid down her cheek.   
  
“I never wanted her to hurt from this,” the blonde said, blinking away the traitorous drop of liquid. “Even after what she did, I still don’t want her to be hurting.” Emma was confused by her own emotions; she had no idea why she didn’t hate Regina with every fibre of her being, for she had every right to.   
  
“I know, Em, but she is. She’s heartbroken,” the older girl said softly, taking a seat on the blonde’s bed, her legs tucked underneath her.   
  
“So am I!” Emma sobbed suddenly, tears dribbling down her cheeks. “It hurts, Zee, it hurts,” she finished with a whisper, her voice so utterly broken Zelena herself felt tears rush to the front of her eyes.   
  
“I know, I know.” The redhead stayed calm, knowing getting defensive now and trying to explain that she hadn’t meant to say Emma wasn’t was not going to help the situation. Instead, she just reached out and rubbed her thumb soothingly on the back of the younger girl’s hand.   
  
“I can’t do it anymore. I can’t,” Emma announced, her tone oddly firm.   
  
“Can’t do what?” Zelena asked fearfully, not sure she liked what the girl was implying.   
  
“This.”   
  
“This?”   
  
“Yes, this. I need to leave.” At those words. Zelena let out an unconscious sigh of relief. This made Emma quirk her brow, hurt flashing through her eyes like lightning.   
  
“I didn’t mean it about that, of course I don’t want you to leave. When you said that you “can’t do it” I thought you meant...” she trailed off, not sure whether it was appropriate to speak of; she wasn’t sure of Emma’s background with the matter. Every foster child had their own story and range of experiences.   
  
“Suicide?” Emma finished for her, and Zelena nodded mutely. “Nah, I’m too chicken to actually do it. Planned it out a few times but never had the courage to go through with it,” she said, shrugging casually. The redhead was surprised at her willingness to talk about it, but it didn’t seem like something that really bothered the blonde at all.   
  
“I see,” Zelena said carefully. “What do you mean when you say you want to leave?”   
  
“Get out of this place, away from Regina, away from the pain,” Emma explained, her expression unreadable.   
  
“Where will you go?” Zelena held back her words of worry, her concerns that Emma wouldn’t be okay, her concerns that something bad would happen.   
  
“Back to Boston, probably,” the blonde offered, shrugging. It seemed she didn’t really know herself. “Anywhere, really.”   
  
“I don’t think—“   
  
“Please don’t, Zee. I am going, whether you like it or not, sorry. I have to. I’m depressed here, and it’s only going to get worse. I’ll come back one day, perhaps, but I just need a break.” Emma watched with a heavy heart as tears formed in Zelena’s eyes and began to run down her cheeks.   
  
“I’ll miss you,” she mumbled, wiping away the offending tears.   
  
“I’ll miss you too,” Emma replied as she was embraced in a tight hug. “Promise me you won’t tell anyone,” she whispered in the older girl’s ear as they continued to hug   
  
“I won’t,” Zelena promised, pressing a soft kiss to the blonde’s pale cheek before she pulled away. “I won’t.” 

* * *

Taking a sheet of plain white paper in her hand, Emma took a seat at the desk in her room. She pulled out a biro and set it down next to the paper, frowning softly. Tonight the night she was due to leave, and she wanted to write a little something for Regina. Why she wanted to do that, she had no idea, but she had a few things to say before she left that she wouldn’t be able to say in person.

Sighing heavily, she picked up the pen and uncapped the lid. Time to think.  
  
_Dear Regina,_ she wrote, but crossed it out immediately. Should she write “to” instead of “dear”? What was the writing etiquette these days? She sure as hell didn’t know.   
  
~~_Dear Regina,_ ~~

_To Regina,_

Now that seemed too informal, as though the brunette was a stranger to her.  
  
~~_Dear Regina,_ ~~

~~_To Regina,_ ~~

_Gina,_

And that was too affectionate. She stared at the page, the crossed out words glaring back at her. Huffing, she drew a line through the last word and scrunched the paper up in her hand, screwing it into a tight ball. Once done, she dropped it unceremoniously onto the floor next to her; why was this so hard?  
  
Growling under her breath, Emma placed another white sheet in front of her and picked up her pen. She decided to just open the letter with the brunette’s name: Regina.   
  
Once she’d written that one word, everything seemed to fall into place. She wrote; letter after letter, word after word, line after line. For an hour, she wrote, the words flowing onto the paper like tears falling from her eyes.   
  
And then she was done. She signed her name at the bottom and tucked it into an envelope before licking it closed. In her messy scrawl, she scribbled Regina’s name on the front. After setting down the pen, she leant back in her chair and ran a hand through her hair.   
  
Her heart clenched painfully and her gut twisted sharply; this was harder than she’d been expecting. She’d expected pain, but the kind of pain she’d dealt with before, the kind of pain she’d experienced all her life. What she wasn’t expecting was an even more raw, fresh kind of pain. One that liked to leave its mark like an angry razor blade gliding over unmarked skin.   
  
Blatantly ignoring the gut-wrenching hurt, Emma stood up. All she had to do now was deliver the message. How? By scaling the wall and climbing into Regina’s bedroom of course. 

* * *

Whilst Emma knew that scaling the wall may not have been the easiest option, she didn’t realise it would be quite as tricky as it was turning out to be. Jumping down from the brunette’s window was one thing, but climbing up to it? That was a quite a stunt to pull.  
  
Luckily the blonde was skilled enough in the art of escape that she managed to successfully scale the wall without too much trouble. Sure, a sprained wrist had made everything ten times more difficult, but she managed to make it work.   
  
Now, she was stood at the foot of Regina’s bed, feeling decidedly creepy because of what she was doing. Climbing into the bedroom of the girl she loved to deliver a letter? Yeah, not creepy at all.   
  
But as she stood silently and watched the gentle rise and fall of the brunette’s chest, she felt privileged to be a witness to such a thing. When she looked closer, she could make out faint tear tracks marring usually flawless tan skin. Guilt twisted in her gut, and she let her eyelids flutter closed to save herself from falling down a dark hole of rather soul crushing thoughts.   
  
Producing the letter from her jacket pocket, she placed it at the bottom of the bed, making sure it was visible enough for Regina to notice it was there.   
  
Feeling a small spurt of confidence, she walked round the bed till she stopped at Regina’s side. Hoping the girl wouldn’t wake up, she dropped a feathery kiss to her temple. “I love you more than you’ll ever know,” she whispered, swallowing down the lump in her throat.   
  
Tears blurred her vision as she backed away, hands pressed to her mouth to muffle the sobs that shook her body. This was possibly the last time she’d ever see Regina, and the hurt she felt was unlike anything she’d ever felt before. It was even worse than the pain she’d felt when her foster mother had stabbed her abdomen at just ten years old.   
  
And then, she was gone in a flash of blonde hair and a glimpse of a red leather jacket. 

* * *

Regina’s eyes fluttered open, sure she’d felt someone’s presence in the room. The darkness that filled the space told her it was still night time; she should be asleep.  
  
After staring wearily at the ceiling for five minutes - trying to work out how she felt - she let her eyes slip closed, and sleep engulfed her once more. Dreams, no nightmares of losing Emma plagued her once more. 

* * *

The sunlight streamed in through the window, dancing on Regina’s face, rousing her from her slumber. Yawning, she pushed herself up onto her elbows and looked around, her vision blurry from sleep. Her mind drifted back to the previous night; she’d sworn someone had been there. She’d just felt—

Her attention was suddenly caught by an envelope placed at the bottom of her bed. Confused, she leaky forward and snatched it up, turning it round to read the front.  
  
_Oh shit._ She’d recognise that handwriting anywhere; Emma.   
  
At a loss as to what it could be, she tore it open and pulled out the sheet of paper inside. Leaning back into her pillows, she dropped the envelope next to her on the bed and opened out the letter. And then she began to read, her eyes darting over the words quickly. She gasped.   
  
_Regina,_ _  
_ _  
_ _I don’t really know how to say everything I want to. I’ve never been good with words; they just jumble up in my mind and I end up blurting out stupid things – you should know that by now. Nevertheless, I’m going to attempt to make sense of a few things going on in my brain. Please bear with me._ _  
_ _  
_ _First of all, I’m going to explain the reason behind this letter. I’m leaving. I have to. I can’t stay in the town, this perfect town, knowing you’re so close yet so far away. We live next door; it’s not like I can avoid you forever. I screwed up, and I’m so sorry for that. I should never have forced myself upon you like that. You’re straight, as you said, and I somehow managed to convince myself that you liked me back. Even our friends assured me you loved me too. I could not have been more wrong. I’m so sorry for that; I will never forgive myself for the way you must have felt in front of all those people watching. I’m sorry for ruining your image._ _  
_ _  
_ _I don’t regret telling you; you deserved to know. You deserved to know why I had been so affectionate, so loving, just going along with your smiles, touches and soft words. We were practically dating Regina, and you know it. Friends do not look at each other the way we do. Did. Whatever. I’m glad I told you, for now I don’t have to hide my feelings, my overwhelming love for you. God, I love you so much I think my heart might burst. You’re the sun to my moon, the light to my darkness, the cherry to my ice cream sundae. I can’t express my love for you, and I just wish I could get a chance to make you mine._ _  
_ _  
_ _I’d take you out, for dinner maybe, and then we’d walk along the beach, hand in hand. We’d remove our shoes and paddle in the waves, splashing each other while laughter filled the peaceful night. You’d shriek and tell me to stop, while secretly wishing that I’d carry on. I’d grab you and pull you into me, cupping your cheeks in my hands. We’d fall silent, the waves rolling around us. I’d lean forward and capture your lips in a gentle kiss, so soft it would leave you dizzy._ ~~ _And then you’d slip your hand round the back of my neck and pull me into you, crushing our lips together._~~

 _  
_ _That’s what I wish could happen. What I want to do. What I think of every, single, night. And fuck Gina, it hurts. It really fucking hurts. It hurts that you’re hurting, because that’s the last thing I wanted. I would rather you moved on and didn’t care than be this crushed over what happened. I don’t understand why. You don’t love me, what more to it is there? If you were hoping we could still be friends, I can’t. God I would never, ever be able to._ _  
_ _  
_ _And that’s why I’m leaving. Being here is too much. At some point, we’ll both have to go back to school. And then we’ll see each other, day after day. We have the same friends, we’re in classes together. And I just know I wouldn’t be able to do it. I’m sorry I’m so weak, that I’m not strong enough to just suck it up and accept the truth. But I’m not. My whole life, all I’ve known is rejection. I should be used to it I know, but it fucking hurts, especially from someone I actually care about._ _  
_ _  
_ _You know what my social worker said to me as we drove here? She said it would be my “forever home”, and when I met Mary Margaret, David, your parents, Zelena, you, I really thought so too. But I was wrong. Because since when do people like me get happy endings? Never._ _  
_ _  
_ _I hope you know how much I care for you and love you. Please eat, please drink, please let in the people around you. If not for yourself, for me. I’ve nowhere idea where we stand now, but I guess it doesn’t matter. By the time you read this I’ll be long gone. Perhaps you felt me in the room last night. I scaled the wall – sorry about that. The only way for me to deliver it secretly was through your window. Sorry!_ _  
_ _  
_ _Fuck, MM’s coming, I have to go. I just need you to know I love you with all my heart. Take care of yourself Gina. Please don’t forget me. I may be back, I may not. May we meet again in another life. Perhaps we would have been together there._ _  
_ _  
_ _Yours forever and always,_ _  
_ _Emma Swan_   
  
Regina let out an anguished cry as she dropped the letter, as though it was scorching hot. She stared at it, eyes burning with wet, hot tears. They ran down her cheeks, never ending, never stopping. She sat there dumbly, unblinking till her eyes stung, and stung, and stung. Only when she felt her eyes were going to burst did she allow herself to blink.   
  
What had she done? Her outright stupidity had caused this. It was all her fault. She’d been so afraid to embrace her attraction to Emma that she’d pushed her away when she’d put her heart on the table. Her own words echoed in her head, reverberating through her mind. And now she’d lost the one she loved. The one her heart beat for. And fuck , did it hurt.   
  
She knew she had to find Emma, immediately. Hastily, she scrambled off her bed, grabbing the letter as she went. Tears still rolled down her cheeks, thick and fast, but she didn’t seem to notice. She tore down the kitchen where she knew her mother would be; it was Sunday.   
  
“Mom! Please you have to help me,” she sobbed, stumbling into the kitchen, her body shaking uncontrollably.   
  
Cora turned, shocked at the sight, and rushed to her daughter. “Regina, darling, what’s happened?” She ran her arms over the girl’s body, checking for any injuries. Silently, the letter was handed over, and the woman began to read, her frown deepening as the letter went on. When she’d finished, she looked back up at her daughter with tears of her own glistening in her eyes. “We have to find her.”   
  
Regina nodded her head firmly. 

* * *

“Where the hell could she be?” Mary Margaret sobbed in anguish, tears streaming down her cheeks. Everyone was in tears; no one knew what to do.

  
“I don’t know,” Regina cried, tears of her own dripping down hollow cheeks. Cora’s eyes were only glistening, for she was the strongest of them all, and Zelena, well – she was unusually quiet.   
  
The redhead wasn’t exactly sure how vocal she was meant to be, for she didn’t want let anything slip. However, by being uncharacteristically quiet, she wasn’t exactly doing herself any favours either. Cora, ever the observant one, noticed this, and frowned.   
  
“Zelena?” The woman asked curiously, watching her daughter wring her hands nervously. “Aren’t you upset? I’d have thought you’d be more upset than this,” she pointed out, quirking an eyebrow.   
  
“I am, of course I am,” the girl, answered a little too quickly for Cora’s liking. Regina seemed to have heard, for she span round and grabbed Zelena by the shoulders suddenly.   
  
“What aren’t you telling us? What do you know?” Regina shook the older girl’s shoulders as she herself shook, devastated at what had happened.   
  
“Reggie, I don’t—“ Zelena began, trying to step backwards, out of her sister’s girl grip. But the brunette didn’t let go, she just tightened her fingers, curling them around the redheads shoulders.   
  
“Tell me. What did she say to you?” The girl demanded, her tone firm. “Please,” she whispered, her voice cracking. She let her hands fall limply to her side, shoulders sagging as she did so. She looked so broken.   
  
Zelena couldn’t bear to see her sister like this anymore; it was too painful. She silently set a virtual apology to Emma, and opened her mouth to confess. “Wait, she did talk to me,” she said, sighing softly.   
  
“What do you know?” Mary Margaret piped up, eyes wide and hopeful, still shining with tears.   
  
“Before she went,” the girl began, “she talked to me before she left and told me why she was going, and she said that she—“   
  
“Just tell us!” Regina interrupted, dark eyes fiery. Zelena flinched a little, and swallowed thickly at the expression of pure determination on her sister’s face.   
  
“She said she didn’t know, but she said she might go to Boston,” she breathed out quickly.   
  
“We must leave immediately,” Mary Margaret said, her eyes wide. “Let’s go. Now.” She got up and started pacing rapidly, her hands trembling.   
  
“Snow, just calm down a minute. We have to leave soon, yes, but we don’t know how long we’ll be there. We need to pack supplies for at least a month,” Cora said sensibly, ever the voice of reason.   
  
“Well let’s get going then,” Regina said briskly, before flying out of the room and up the stairs to her room.   
  
Cora, Zelena and Mary Margaret all exchanged a brief glance before shooting off in their own directions, hastily grabbing anything they saw that they might need.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will they find Emma?
> 
> I hope you enjoyed! If you did, let me know in the comments! :)


	9. The Loving

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The final chapter! This chapter is also pretty short, as it wraps everything up. I was going to add an epilogue, but I felt happy with leaving the ending as it is - my fabulous beta Riya also agreed with me.
> 
> Enjoy!

Pattering softly on the window, the rain trickled down the glass, blurring the world from those looking out from inside the bus. Emma was sat, head leant against the window, earphones plugged in.    
  
Stanfour’s  _ Take Me Or Leave Me _ , was playing in her eardrums, the voice of the singer consuming her mind. The lyrics stirred a familiar aching in her gut, and although the song was painful to listen to, it was a pain she wanted to feel.   
  
_ Words without faith _

Her mind travelled back to the constant soft smiles, whispered secrets and steady gazes. The soft looks Regina gave her when no one was watching, the tender way she brushed her hand against hers, the possessive way she placed a hand on the small of her back when walking somewhere.    
  
_ Hearts without love _

And then the cold, emotionless look she’d been given when those fateful words had been uttered.  _ But I don’t want you. _ God, those words had cut through her like a knife.   
  
_ The tears on your face just don’t give up _

Allowing a small smile to flash over her face, Emma remembered their first argument. She remembered the tears, lots of tears, the first time she’d refused to speak to the brunette. She remembered Regina handing her the bear claw she’d made in an attempt to earn her friendship and forgiveness.    
  
_ The times they are changing _

Now she was off to Boston, leaving behind her short life in Storybrooke, Maine. She was leaving behind Regina, the girl she loved; Zelena, one of her best friends; Mary Margaret and David, who had been the nicest parents she ever could have wished for; Cora and Henry, the sweetest people she’d ever met, always making her feel at home and welcome; Ruby, Belle, Kathryn and Tina, four of the nicest girls she’d ever met. And now it was gone. Everything had changed.   
  
_ Not everything’s gold _

She had no clue where the hell she was going to go. She was 100% certain that she’d end up sleeping on a park bench, or under a bridge, depending on where exactly she went. The next weeks, months, years of her life - until she figured out what to do - were going to be hell.   
  
_ Take me or leave me _

A lone tear rolled down her cheek, the sharp pain in her gut increasing. Her life has spiralled downhill over the last month, and she hated it.   
  
_ ‘Cause I can let go _ __  
  
And for the first time, Emma wished that she’d never met Regina.   


* * *

The bus came to a slow stop at the station, opening its doors for everyone to get off. Emma picked up her small duffel bag, packed with only the basics, and dragged herself off the vehicle.   
  
Luckily they’d stopped in an area she knew well; she needed to go and buy some food. She’d stolen $100 from Mary Margaret - she felt nothing but awful about it - to use for food and drink. It wouldn’t last her long at all, but it was something to get her started.   
  
Once safely off the bus, Emma traipsed through the city, recognising the odd person. No one seemed to recognise her, for she looked so different than she had when she left. She was thinner now, more worn, more exhausted. And clearly showed in her appearance.   
  
Finally reaching the grocery store, she walked in and headed straight for the candy section. She was a sucker for Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, and she really needed some right now.   
  
As she perused the isle, searching for what she wanted, a flash of purple caught her eye. Emma looked up and saw the figure of a teenage girl, her age, standing further down the aisle. She knew that girl.   
  
“Diana?” She called out, watching curiously as the girl whipped round at the sound of her name. Her bright blue eyes lit up in recognition as her eyes landed on Emma, and she rushed forwards.   
  
“Emma, is that you?” She asked, disbelief evident in her tone. Her long dark hair fell effortlessly down her back, the loose curls swaying gently as she came to a halt before the blonde.   
  
“Yeah, it’s me,” Emma confirmed. Her and Diana had been best friends whilst she was in Boston, for two years. They’d done everything together, only to be ripped apart when she’d been forced to move. It was good to see her again, that was for sure.   
  
“How have you been? You look like shit,” Diana started, giving her friend a once over. “What the fuck are you doing here anyways?” The brunette frowned, drinking in Emma’s pale skin and protruding cheekbones.   
  
“It’s a very long story,” the blonde said with a heavy sigh, scrubbing a hand roughly over her face.   
  
“Diana, I got—“ a voice began as a girl stepped out from round the corner and into the aisle. She stopped abruptly as she saw Diana with another girl. A girl she didn’t know. “Who’s this?” She asked, striding closer, her protective instincts already flaring up.   
  
“Avani, this is Emma, my best friend. I’ve told you about her,” Diana explained, turning to her girlfriend. Emma took the opportunity to take in Avani’s appearance.   
  
She was beautiful, that was for sure. Her style was classy and chic; she wore navy slacks and a silky white blouse, along with a matching navy hijab that covered her hair. Her makeup was done to perfection, and she looked flawless.   
  
“Ah, I see. It’s lovely to finally meet you,” Avani said kindly, showing off her pearly white teeth as she smiled. She offered out her hand, which Emma took. The grip was firm, much like Regina’s. If she was honest, she saw a lot of Regina in Avani, the care in appearance and similar style being the most obvious.   
  
“Nice to meet you too. I take it you two are together?” Emma asked, gesturing between her friend and the other girl.   
  
“Yes, for two months,” Diana said, a soft smile taking over her face as she thought of her girlfriend.   
  
“How sweet. You two look great together,” the blonde complemented, smiling at the loving look the two shared.   
  
“Thank you,” Avani accepted gracefully, a light blush dusting her tan skin.   
  
“So what happened to you Emma?” Diana asked curiously, her eyes full of concern.   
  
“Can we go somewhere else to talk about it?” Emma asked, overly aware of how public this place was   
  
“Sure,” the brunette agreed, grabbing both Emma and Avani’s hand as she marched them out of the store.   


* * *

It was a bright day, with the sun twinkling down and a clear blue sky. The cheery weather was however a sharp contrast to Regina’s disheartened mood. It had been six weeks, with no sign of Emma. Every flash of blonde hair had her whirling round, eyes sparkling with hope, but each time she was let down. Her optimism had left her weeks before, and she had taken to trudging through the park every day, hoping to catch a glimpse of the girl she loved.

She was doing so now, on her twentieth lap of the park. People stared at her as she walked, taking in her less-than-acceptable appearance. She knew she looked terrible; over the past weeks she hadn’t had time for food or rest. Every moment of the day she was walking round Boston, desperate to see long blonde locks and a peek of red leather.   
  
Her eyes swivelled round the park, scanning the grass. And then she froze.   
  
There, sat on the grass, head tipped back in laughter, was Emma. She was sat with two other girls she’d never seen before, and she looked happy. Very happy. Regina’s jealousy spiked instantly, and she was overwhelmed with a wave of emotion. She didn’t know what to feel. Her throat constricted as she began stumbling forward, one arm outstretched limply.   
  
But before she could reach Emma, who was still oblivious, she stopped. How would the blonde react? She seemed to have moved on. Perhaps she wouldn’t want to come back? What if she was in a relationship? She certainly looked friendly with the two girls she was with.   
  
Tears pricked at Regina’s eyes; what was she supposed to do? Go over to her? Or leave her and go home, finally ending the search after all this time? As Emma grinned, flashing her pearly teeth at the girls opposite her, she recoiled backwards. No, this was a bad idea.   
  
Salty liquid rolling down her hollow cheeks, she backed away, unable to tear her eyes from Emma’s happy face. This was it. She’d moved on. She was probably with one, or both, of the girls. All this had been for nothing.   
  
Not seeing where she was going, she tripped, falling back onto the grass. Her head hit the concrete path, and her vision went black.   


* * *

Emma squinted her eyes as she saw a figure falling a few hundred yards away. In a flash she was up, racing across the park to help them up. As she reached the person – a girl, she now realised – she frowned. Was that— Regina?   
  
Her hands flew up to her mouth as she gasped, and fell to her knees. She swiftly pulled the girl into her lap, cradling her to her body, tears falling from her eyes. The brunette looked bad, really bad; she was painfully thin, with dark bags circled under her eyes; her skin was pale, almost translucent, and her hair fell limply down her back. Fuck, Emma thought, guilt twisting inside her stomach. She just knew that she had caused this. Her stupid decision – which really had helped her – to move away, back to Boston. I’m so stupid.   
  
In reality, the past weeks had been absolute agony for her. Regina never left her mind, her smile, her laugh, her eyes. Thoughts of the dark-haired girl followed her wherever she went. Diana and Avani had been awfully kind, letting her stay with them at Diana’s home (Avani’s parents had kicked her out for her sexuality). She had been cared for in her time of struggle, and she was infinitely grateful for that. However, she’d missed Storybrooke – Mary Margaret, David, Cora, Henry, Zelena and most of all, Regina.   
  
She hadn’t gotten over the girl, and she was sure that she never would. And now, with Regina lying unconscious in her arms, her feelings rushed to the surface, stronger than ever.   
  
“Regina,” she said softly, shaking the girl’s shoulder. Slowly, dark eyelashes fluttered, and pale eyelids opened; she was clearly confused.   
  
“Emma?” She asked, baffled. Her brow furrowed and she stared up at the blonde like she’d seen a ghost.   
  
Behind her, Diana and Avani had approached, and now looked over her shoulder. “Is that—“ Avani began.   
  
“Regina,” Diana finished, breathing out heavily. The two girls backed away slightly, knowing Emma would prefer to be alone for what was about to happen.   
  
“Hi,” Emma whispered down at the brunette, stroking her hair from her eyes.   
  
“Am I dreaming?”   
  
“No. You’re in Boston. You fell over.” The taller girl smiled sadly, oblivious to the odd looks she was attracting. All she cared about was the girl in her arms, and making sure she was okay.   
  
“So you’re... really here?” Regina asked curiously, shifting till she was sat up, unconsciously snuggling into Emma’s embrace.   
  
“Yes.”   
  
“C-Can we talk?” The brunette asked timidly, head bowed as she stared at her lap. She was fully expecting Emma to deny her the request, for the girl looked so much happier away from her.   
  
“We’re talking right now,” Emma said, cocking her head adorably to one side like a puppy.   
  
Regina fought the urge to smile fondly, and maintained her straight face. Her eyes flashed painfully as she spoke. “I-I’d like to explain, if you’ll give me the chance?”   
  
“Explain what?” If the blonde knew what Regina was talking about, she didn’t show it. Eyes wide with confusion, and began rubbing small circles on the back of the brunette’s palm, which was resting on her thigh.   
  
“Why I said what I did,” Regina clarified nervously, watching as Emma’s lips thinned, and her eyes hardened.   
  
“You don’t need to bring up past wounds. I’ve moved on,” she said flatly, snatching her hand back and digging her nails into her thigh instead.   
  
“Y-You have?” The shorter girl questioned almost fearfully. Did that mean Emma didn’t want to come home? Did that mean she no longer like her?   
  
“It’s in the past,” the blonde said firmly, glancing away.   
  
“I-It is?” Regina couldn’t believe her ears. Was Emma really saying what she thought she was? Was she hearing correctly?   
  
“Yes,” the taller girl confirmed.   
  
“B-But I have so much to say... I need to apologise, properly, in person,” the brunette insisted, clutching at Emma’s bicep. Her eyes, wide and desperate, conveyed an overwhelming abundance of emotion. It was so heavy, so intense, that the blonde caved in the spot.   
  
“Okay—okay,” she allowed, straightening her back a little as she felt her shoulders begin to ache.   
  
“Thank you,” the petite girl said, smiling gratefully. She moved herself from Emma’s warm embrace so she was sat opposite, staring directly into emerald green eyes. The blonde watched, her body jittery with nerves, her veins wired. She really didn’t need to hear this; sure, an explanation had been what she’d wanted right up until this very moment, but now she didn’t seem to want it. It would hurt, hearing it all spoken out loud, but she guessed she’d have to sit through it.   
  
“I—It’s going to be hard for me, to vocalise this. I’ve never... I’ve never said any of this out loud before. For whatever reason, I’ve been scared, afraid, of what would happen if I was—if I was... gay. I don’t know why, and I’ve never known. Perhaps it was Robin. He always said things, cruel things, about your—our kind. Maybe that was what turned me against feeling things, attraction for women...” Regina trailed off and swallowed thickly, meeting Emma’s gaze. The other girl smiled reassuringly and squeezed her hand in encouragement. The brunette continued.   
  
“I liked you from the start, I think. I didn’t know how I felt until... well, until I kissed Robin.” The last words came out choked, and laced with guilt. Regina shuddered at the memory. “The touches, the looks, the almost-kisses – I thought that was what friends did. Kathryn and Tina did so, and I was so blind to it all. How was I so blind?!” The words came out quickly, tumbling from her mouth as self-hatred rose inside her. A gentle stroke on her palm from Emma grounded her, and she offered a tight smile in thanks.   
  
“I can’t even begin to express my sadness - sorrow, even - at what happened. I was stupid, god, so stupid, and—and blinded by jealousy and rage and I just... I just snapped, I guess. I didn’t know what I was feeling and it all caught up with me, and I just snapped. And god, Emma, I’m so sorry. I can’t—“ Regina choked on her words, bile rising in her throat. She was going to be sick. As predicted, she promptly threw up next to her, and contorted her face at the taste.   
  
Emma stayed silent, but pulled a mint from her pocket and handed it over. In her frustration, the brunette had pulled her hands away, so the blonde rubbed soothing circles on her knee instead, hoping to provide some kind of comfort.   
  
“Please forgive me, Emma. If you can’t, won’t, whatever, then I’ll understand. Fuck, it’ll hurt, you know? It’ll really fucking hurt, and I’m not sure I’ll be able to cope. I mean, I’ve barely survived these past weeks searching for you and I—I don’t know if I’ll be able to continue if you can’t forgive me.” Tears rolled down hollow cheeks, and her now pale hands trembled. “You can stay here if you like, I won’t make you do anything, I swear. I just... if you don’t forgive me for—for kissing him, then I don’t... I don’t know what I’ll do. I’ll have no purpose, and I’ll just have to—“ Regina’s desperate, pained ramble was cut off by Emma placing a finger over her lips and hushing her softly.   
  
The blonde cupped her cheeks and brushed her thumbs over her prominent cheekbones. Regina stayed quiet, anticipating what was coming next. They were both crying silently, tears dripping down their cheeks, glistening in the sun.   
  
Emma leaned forwards, rocking up into her knees from where she’d been kneeling. Her lips brushed gently over Regina’s in the softest, most delicate kiss either had ever experienced. The taller girl pulled away immediately, wondering whether she’d overstepped a figurative boundary.   
  
The brunette’s jaw dropped; did that mean Emma still wanted to be with her? The blonde saw that she needed to explain, and she cleared her throat nervously. “Regina, what you did hurt, it really hurt, because that’s all I’ve ever known – rejection. Those words cut really fucking deep, but I think—I think I’ll be able to forgive you. I hope so, because—because I love you. I still love you. I love you even more than I did all those weeks ago, standing in that corridor. My love for you increases every single day, because you’re my everything, okay? My sun, my moon, my stars, my absolute world.   
  
“I can’t even begin to imagine life without you. It was so fucking hard staying here without you. You consumed my thoughts day in and day out. If you feel the same, which it seems like you do, I want to be with you,” Emma finished with a small smile. Regina was beaming, her dark eyes lighting up like a thousand lights.   
  
“I love you, I love you, I love you,” the brunette exclaimed, surging forwards, pressing her lips to Emma’s. Her hands came up to clutch at the side’s of the blonde’s face, desperately pushing her plump lips against thin ones, as if afraid the other girl would disappear at any moment.   
  
Tears of happiness leaked from both of their eyes, unbelieving of what was happening. Emma shifted so she could slip her tongue into Regina’s mouth; it was welcomed with a soft moan. This jolted them both back to reality, and they broke apart, grinning wildly.   
  
“I love you,” Regina whispered, pressing a soft kiss to the corner of Emma’s mouth.   
  
“I love you too,” was the whispered reply.   


* * *

Goodbyes were said, numbers were exchanged, tears were shed. Emma walked from the park, hand in hand with Regina, trying not to look back at Diana and Avani, waving at her from the grass. It was hard, leaving them – they’d done so much for her, and now she was just leaving. They’d insisted it was fine - even smiled - but Emma knew they’d miss her just as much as she’d miss them.

The girls looked quite the pair walking down the street, both physically and mentally damaged. Most of the way was travelled in silence, the sound of the bustle around them the only thing to be heard. They talked a little, but emotions were running too high, too raw, for any real conversation to be held.   
  
Emma felt her hands trembling as Regina unlocked the door to the hotel suite the group had been staying in. “It’s going to be fine,” the brunette whispered, giving a gentle squeeze to the blonde’s hand. She received a small flicker of a smile in response, but the girl did not relax fully. Her body was still tense, fighting the urge to turn and flee, back to her friends, back to the strange ease of Boston city life.   
  
But she didn’t run – of course she didn’t. She was here for Regina, and because she wanted to be. Seeing Mary Margaret, Cora and Zelena would be amazing, for she’d sincerely missed them in the time she’d been gone. She wasn’t even mad at Zelena for spilling her location. She was glad the girl had broken her promise.   
  
“Emma?” Mary Margaret squealed, tears rushing to the front of her eyes and spilling down her cheeks. “Is that—Is that really you?”   
  
Emma nodded, unable to speak. She dropped Regina’s hand and stumbled forwards, eager to embrace her—yes, her mother. “Mom,” she whispered as she was taken into the petite woman’s arms. They hugged and hugged, both crying, as they were reunited.    
  
“Oh honey,” Mary Margaret mumbled, cupping the back of her daughter’s head protectively.   
  
After breaking away, Emma received a warm hug from Cora, and a tight, tight hug from Zelena. “I’ve missed you,” the redhead whispered into her ear.   
  
“I’ve missed you too Zee,” the blonde agreed, smiling kindly. Finally, she turned back to Regina, who was watching her somewhat expectantly.   
  
The brunette was hugged once again, and kissed delicately on the lips. Cheers erupted from the trio watching, and everyone broke out into happy smiles.   
  
No, things weren’t perfect - and they probably wouldn’t be for a while - but things were good for now, and that was what mattered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that's it! The journey has ended. I hope you all enjoyed reading this as much as I loved writing it! I know it's a very long entry considering the minimum word count was only 10,000 words, but I absolutely adored writing this.
> 
> Again, big thanks to: the wonderful people who organise the Supernova, Riya, Emma, Mari, Alex & Krystal.
> 
> Kudos/comments are much appreciated! :)


	10. Thank You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I decided to add a chapter for this, since I released the fic all in one go.

I felt like I should say thank you to everyone who’s taken the time to read and comment on this fic; I’m so so thankful. The response to this has absolutely blown me away. I was so unsure of this, so worried people would hate it, and everyone seems to love it!

Your kind comments have made me smile from ear to ear, and it makes me so thankful I decided to participate in the Supernova. This fic is quite close to my heart, since I spent so long on it, and y’all love it.

Those who have taken the time to comment on each chapter as they read along, a big thanks to you :)

Once again, I am honestly astounded by the positive response to this. Thank you all so much. And a huge huge thank you to the organisers of the Supernova.

Also check out the fanart for this fic via the link in the first chapter.

Thank you! See you soon, maybe. I’m working on a few things, so if I deem any of them good enough I may upload them.

Many thanks,

Katie :) xox

**Author's Note:**

> Well that was the first chapter! If you enjoyed it, please let me know what you thought!

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Falling Short - Manips [Fanart]](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11854098) by [Dragoon23](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dragoon23/pseuds/Dragoon23)




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